The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement. 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. Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2024. Since its inception, nearly 6,500 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship. The cohort of Fellows hosted by the Presidential Precinct will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 28 educational institutions across the United States.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2024, and the Presidential Precinct is proudly one of eight institutions who have hosted Fellows each year since the inception of the Fellowship. We will soon total 250 Fellows who have come to the Precinct with a bold vision and departed on a lifelong journey of impact for their community and our world.
Watch program overview (3m) View Program Photos Read Our Latest NewsThe Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is a program of the U.S. State Department with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. The Presidential Precinct is a sub-grantee of IREX and is implementing a U.S.-based Leadership Institute as a part of the Fellowship. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, please click below.
visit program websiteOur Africa Ideas Festival is the paramount opportunity for community members, area partners, and other friends of the Precinct to meet the Mandela Washington Fellows.
2023 Fellows curated a program of personal stories, expressions of art and culture, and key insights on issues about which they are most passionate. At the conclusion of their Fellowship institute at the Presidential Precinct, they shared Ignite Talks, cultural performances, and led a compelling panel discussion on the future of the African continent.