Mandela Washington Fellowship students off to the States
Twenty Namibians departed on 16 June to begin their adventure as part of 1,000 young African leaders who will participate in the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship in the United States for six weeks.
The young leaders in civil society, public management, and business and entrepreneurship will live at U.S. university campuses while taking classes, visiting sites related to their professional development goals, meeting mentors, and participating in community service activities.
They will also convene in Washington, D.C. at a youth summit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama. Additionally, 100 of the 1,000 will extend their stay to participate in an 8-week internship related to their career goals.
The 20 Namibian participants were selected from among 425 Namibian applicants evaluated through written essays about their national development goals and through group- and in-person interviews about their leadership skills and career aspirations.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a facet of the Young African Leaders Network (YALI), an online community of thousands of young African leaders committed to democratically effect positive change in their communities. President Obama launched YALI in 2010 to support young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa.
Membership to the YALI Network is free and open to the public. Members can receive email alerts about exchange opportunities, interactions with young leaders across the continent, and offers for free online courses designed to enhance leadership skills. Interested individuals can join by access the site at: https://yali.state.gov.
