Application For The Next Obama’s African Leaders Begins

The U.S. Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria has announced that acceptance of applications for 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship will begin tomorrow, Thursday, October 1, 2015.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative, and a key part of the U.S. commitment to invest in the future of Africa.

READ ALSO: Second Year In A Row, Nigerians Are Banned To Enter American Visa Lottery

In 2010, President Obama launched YALI as a vehicle to support an emerging generation of African leaders. In 2014, the program was expanded to include 500 young African leaders from sub-Saharan Africa. In 2016, 1,000 young Africans will participate in the fellowship

President Barack Obama

The fellowship will bring together 1,000 young African leaders across three tracks: business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and public management for a six-week, in-depth academic and leadership training at 20 top American universities.

Afterwards, the fellows will converge in Washington, D.C. for a presidential summit, featuring a town hall with President Obama.

READ ALSO: PHOTONEWS: US President Obama Is ‘Captivated’ By Buhari’s Speech At UN Summit

To be eligible, applicants must be between the ages of 25 and 35, and must have demonstrated track record of leadership in a public, private, or civic organization, and a commitment to contributing their skills and talents to build and serve their communities. Application closes on November 11, 2015.

Since its inception, 86 young Nigerians have participated in the fellowship, and over 26,000 young professionals in Nigeria have joined the YALI network.

In 2016, approximately 100 young Nigerians are expected to participate in the fellowship.

The post Application For The Next Obama’s African Leaders Begins appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.

Application For The Next Obama’s African Leaders Begins