Amplifying African Voices in Climate Change
Read about 2022 LIA Winner Marie Christina Kolo’s experience at COP 27 in this photo essay.
Learn MoreA Program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Official website of the U.S. Department of State's Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders
Read about 2022 LIA Winner Marie Christina Kolo’s experience at COP 27 in this photo essay.
Learn MoreCongratulations to Cradle Care Initiative and Nova Group! Learn more about the projects and the Alumni who lead them.
Learn MoreHundreds of 2021 Alumni and members of the Fellowship Network met in Boksburg, South Africa, from March 12-18, 2023, for the 2023 Alumni Symposium.
Learn More2021 Alumnus Abdallah Mabrouck combines digital technology and direct support to deliver agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers in Tanzania.
Learn MoreCheck out recent stories about the Fellowship Alumni Network’s impact and accomplishments.
Learn MoreThe Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). YALI was created in 2010 and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2020. Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship has brought nearly 5,800 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.
Learn MoreThe Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX.
Learn how 2018 Alumnus Nigel Savel's Fellowship helped him create a space safe for Western Cape youth to learn, grow, and surf.
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May 3, 2023
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April 24, 2023
“I believe that the Mandela Washington Fellowship has made me a stronger and better leader and has challenged me to think outside the box… There can only be more, bigger, and better to come from me, my fellow Fellows, and the continent of Africa as a whole.”
– Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumna
Learn more about the 2023 Fellowship selection timeline and process, eligibility information, and more. We can't wait to meet the next Mandela Washington Fellows!
Learn moreApplication Closed
Semifinalists interviewed by local U.S. embassies and consulates
Applicants are notified of their status
Finalist visa processing and Pre-Fellowship Orientations
Fellowship begins in the United States
Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit
Including Fellows, Reciprocal Exchange Participants, and U.S. Partners
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