2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

Deadline: 5 November 2014

The Young African leaders between 25-35 years of age who are eligible to receive a United States J-1 Visa to apply for the 2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship, a merit-based open competition – the new flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The application will open on 7 October & close on 5 November 2014.

Among all the applicants, select semifinalists will be chosen and interviewed by the US embassies or consulates in their home countries. These selected candidates must provide a copy of their passport (if available) or other government-issued photo identification to verify eligibility.

Fellowship Activities

1. A 6-week Academic and Leadership Institute
2. A Summit with President Obama in Washington, DC
3. An optional 8-week U.S. Internship
4. Activities in Africa

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be young African leaders between 25-35 years of age.
• Applicants cannot be US citizens or permanent residents of the US.
• Applicants must be eligible to receive a US J-1 visa.
• Applicants must be proficient in English language.
• Applicants must be the citizens and residents of the following countries to be eligible for the fellowships – Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• Applicants must have a proven record of leadership and accomplishment in public service, business and entrepreneurship, or civic engagement.
• Applicants must demonstrate commitment to public or community service, volunteerism, or mentorship.
• Applicants must have the ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and respect the opinions of others.
• Applicants must demonstrate strong social and communication skills, should be energetic and have positive attitude.

Prepare your resume before beginning with the application. You will also have to provide personal information. You can also upload letters of recommendation or university transcript.

For more information, please visit YALI 2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship.