Attention U.S. Educational Institutions!
The Mandela Washington Fellowship seeks qualified U.S.-based post-secondary educational institutions to host six-week Leadership Institutes in summer 2024.
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
The Mandela Washington Fellowship seeks qualified U.S.-based post-secondary educational institutions to host six-week Leadership Institutes in summer 2024.
Learn MoreThrough September 22, U.S. professionals and Fellowship Alumni can apply for funding to implement in-person or hybrid projects in sub-Saharan African countries to continue their collaborative work on the continent.
Learn MoreJamila Mayanja, 2015 Fellowship Alumna, is a social entrepreneur and educator who empowers women and girls to transform their lives and communities across Uganda.
Learn MoreOpen to Alumni who have not previously participated in the PDE, applications are open now through September 13, 2023..
Learn MoreLearn more about 2023 Alumna Rose Joseph’s Fellowship experience in her own words.
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 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.
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.
Brian Waihenya is a 2023 Fellowship Alumnus from Kenya. Brian is a writer and disability rights advocate, focusing on creating awareness about issues faced by people who are disabled in...
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August 31, 2023
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August 28, 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 2024 Fellowship selection timeline and process, eligibility information, and more. We can't wait to meet the next Mandela Washington Fellows!
Learn moreApplication Deadline
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
Including Fellows, Reciprocal Exchange Participants, and U.S. Partners
Explore Fellowship Directory