The U.S. Embassy in Namibia has announced the selection of 16 participants across eight regions in Namibia to participate in the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) for Young African Leaders.
The six-week professional development program, hosted by college and university campuses across the United States, will support the development of Fellows’ leadership skills through academic study, workshops, mentoring, networking with U.S. leaders, and collaboration with members of the local community.
Launched in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and is part of United States commitment to invest in the future of Africa.
YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa.
To date, the U.S. Embassy Namibia has sent over 140 young leaders to the United States to participate in the program.
Since 2014, nearly 6,000 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship.