A 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 Fellowship is now accepting applications for qualified U.S.-based post-secondary educational institutions to host and implement two-week Alumni Enrichment Institutes for 2021 Alumni in summer 2022.
Learn MoreIn honor of the 76th annual United Nations Day, learn how 2018 Alumna Mariama Barry is furthering peace and security through her work in The Gambia Police Force.
Learn MoreLast July, 12 Fellowship Alumni who are STEM educators participated in the TGR Foundation Virtual STEM Studio. Hear about their experience and how they plan to apply their new knowledge to their classrooms.
Learn MoreCheck out recent stories about the Fellowship Alumni Network’s impact and accomplishments.
Learn More2016 Fellowship Alumnus Dysmus Kisilu is helping rural farmers reduce post-harvest loss through mobile solar-powered cold storage units.
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 4,400 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.
Two Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni are collaborating on a solution to equip women who are deaf with the skills they need for employment and financial self-reliance.
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November 4, 2021
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“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
The 2022 Fellowship Application is now closed. Check out the 2022 Fellowship Application 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-Departure Orientations
Fellowship begins in the United States
2022 Fellowship Summit takes place
Including Fellows, Reciprocal Exchange Participants, and U.S. Partners
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