After multiple rounds of review in the United States and across Africa, hundreds of interviews, and tens of thousands of applications, selection for the 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is now complete. 32 finalists were selected from Ghana! We are excited to welcome them to the United States from June 18 to August 2, 2018. Congratulations to all the finalists!
The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, begun in 2014, is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. In 2018, the Fellowship will provide 700 outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at a U.S. college or university with support for professional development after they return home.
The Fellows, who are between the ages of 25 and 35, have established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive impact in their organizations, institutions, communities, and countries. In 2017, Fellows represented a diverse group of leaders from 48 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. Fifty-one Fellows identified as having a disability, and 50 percent of Fellows were women.
Check our social media platforms for the individual profiling series of the 2018 Fellows. Watch a trailer of our 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship announcement here.
