Fellowship Alumnae

Across Sub-Saharan Africa

Fellowship Celebrates International Women’s Day by highlighting #WomenOfCourage

Courageous women inspire us to help make a better world. In honor of International Women’s Day and the U.S. Department of State’s Women of Courage awards, we are proud to highlight the work of Fellowship Alumnae who are creating change through their exceptional leadership.

Protecting the rights of women and girls in South Sudan

2019 Fellowship Alumna Dina Peter Cirillo is a defense attorney protecting the rights of women and girls in South Sudan. She leads the girl child committee and focuses on girls’ education by facilitating the distribution of sanitary pads and providing inspirational talks to encourage girls’ persistence in school. Learn more about her work protecting the rights of women and girls.

Promoting women’s health in Uganda

A young woman speaks on a radio broadcast
Brenda speaks on a radio broadcast in Uganda.

2019 Fellowship Alumna Brenda Allen Kawala is sharing critical healthcare information with vulnerable populations across Uganda and urging other young people to do the same.

Supporting women through good times and bad in Zimbabwe

Chiedza Makwara is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and talk show host from Zimbabwe. Learn more about how she is changing the narrative of female empowerment through her writing, advocacy, and community initiatives.

Advocating for women with disabilities in Nigeria

Lois Auta, Nigerian woman in wheelchair, speaks on stage on a panel
Lois Auta, Founder and Executive Director, Cedar Seed Foundation, Nigeria; Young Global Leader speaking during the session Regional Strategy: Infrastructure at the World Forum World Economic Forum on Africa 2019. Copyright by World Economic Forum / Greg Beadle

2014 Fellowship Alumna Lois Auta helped educate the policymakers that passed the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act in 2019, a law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Lois is dedicated to amplifying the voices of women with disabilities.

Building a global brand in Benin

A woman speaks into a microphone

Corine Allega Mondoukpe Honsou of Benin found her passion for positive social change in her community through entrepreneurship. In this YALI Voices podcast, she shares her journey to create a global brand of hair care products and cosmetics designed especially for women of color.

Paving the way for girls in Kenya

Christine Sabdio Roba, 2019 Fellowship Alumna

2019 Fellowship Alumna Christine Sabdio Roba, a GIRL project officer at Mercy Corps Kenya, mentors young women in basic literacy and business skills, and works to educate them about menstrual hygiene.  Recently, she has also helped those in her community understand COVID-19 guidelines and the safety measures put in place to contain the virus’s spread.