The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Established in 2014, the Fellowship is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2024 and has brought nearly 6,500 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training. The Fellows, between the ages of 25 and 35, are accomplished innovators and leaders in their communities and countries.
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Benefits
As a Mandela Washington Fellow, you will receive full support from the U.S. government for every aspect of the program:
- Support for obtaining the J-1 visa.
- Round-trip airfare from your home city to the U.S., plus any domestic travel required for the program.
- Participation in an intensive six-week Leadership Institute.
- Attendance at the closing summit in Washington, D.C.
- Access to a limited health and accident insurance plan.
- Accommodation and meals for the duration of the program.
Required Eligibilities
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to young African leaders who meet the following criteria:
- Are between the ages of 25 and 35 as of the application deadline (September 10, 2024), although exceptional applicants ages 21-24 may be considered;
- Are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States;
- Are eligible to receive a United States J-1 visa;
- Are not employees or immediate family members (spouses, parents, children, or siblings) of employees of the U.S. Government (including a U.S. embassy or consulate, USAID, or other U.S. Government entity);
- Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English (additional guidance coming for applicants who are deaf);
- Are citizens of one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, or Zimbabwe;
- Are residents of one of the above countries and will be permanently residing there as of May 1, 2025 and at the beginning of the Fellowship in June 2025; and
- Are not Alumni or prior participants of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.
Selection Criteria
The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications (not in order of importance):
- A proven record of leadership and accomplishment in business or entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and/or public/government service;
- A demonstrated commitment to public or community service, volunteerism, or mentorship;
- The ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and to respect the opinions of others;
- Strong social and communication skills;
- An energetic, positive, and flexible attitude;
- A demonstrated knowledge of, interest in, and professional experience in the preferred sector/Fellowship track and concrete goals for applying lessons knowledge and skills gained from the Fellowship to current and/or future work; and
- A commitment to return to Sub-Saharan Africa and contribute skills and talents to build and serve their communities.
Application and Selection Timeline
- August 13, 2024 | Application opens
- September 10, 2024 | Application deadline
- November 2024 – January 2025 | Semi-finalists interviewed by local U.S. embassies and consulates
- March 2025: Applicants notified of their status
- May 2025 | Visa processing and Pre-Departure Orientations for Finalists
- June 2025 | Fellowship begins in the United States
How To Apply
To apply for the Mandela Washington Fellowship, submit your application online at this link: apply.mandelawashingtonfellowship.org. The application deadline is September 10, 2024, at 4:00 PM GMT.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a highly competitive, merit-based program. Each eligible application will be reviewed by independent evaluators. After this initial review, semi-finalists will be interviewed by U.S. embassies or consulates in their home countries. These interviews will be conducted in person in Africa.
Candidates who advance past this stage will need to present a copy of their international passport (if available) or another government-issued photo ID at the interview.
Selected finalists must attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation in their home country in Africa. This orientation is designed to prepare finalists for their upcoming experience and provide essential information to help them begin their leadership journey.
