The U.S. Embassy in Mali is pleased to announce that the application for the Mandela Washington Fellowship program, also known as YALI / the Young African Leaders Initiative, is now open. Interested young leaders may apply until the application closing date of September 15, 2021, by submitting an application online at: mwfellows.info/apply
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is conducted as a merit-based open competition. After the September 15 deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed by independent readers. Following this review, chosen semifinalists will be interviewed by the U.S. embassies or consulates in their home countries.
Participants in the Mandela Washington Fellowship program take part in a six-week Leadership Institute at a U.S. college or university in one of three tracks: Leadership in Business, Leadership in Civic Engagement, or Leadership in Public Management. The intensive model includes academic sessions, site visits, professional networking opportunities, leadership training, community service, organized cultural activities and Summit in DC. Upon returning to their home countries, Fellows continue to build the skills they develop during their time in the United States through support from U.S. embassies.