The prestigious and high-level Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of Former U.S. President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). For 13 years now, the Mandela Washington Fellowship has brought 6,700 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training. The Fellows, between the ages of 25 and 35, are accomplished innovators and leaders with proven track record in their communities and countries.
The six-week Leadership programme is divided into three tracks namely Public Management, Civic Engagement and Business. In 2023, 700 fellows were selected out of 70, 000 applicants, after very competitive application write-up and interviews. Each fellow studies a specific track unique to his/her/their career/leadership path. The Fellows are also hosted by different Institutes/Universities which organise, plan and manage the Fellows’ lectures and other opportunities. Also, up to 100 of them are currently participating in the optional four-week Professional Development Experiences (PDE) with private U.S. companies, NGOs, and state and local governments. During their time on campus, Fellows connect with Americans and local U.S. communities through community service, site visits, cultural experiences and networking events. The fellowship concludes at the Washington D.C Summit.
The Mandela Washington Fellows 2023 and their respective tracks and universities are as follows :
Anusha Seechurn – Leadership in Public Management, Cornell University (Ivy-League)
Joshna Bhoobun Sookun – Leadership in Public Management, Bridgewater State University
Gianeshwaree Caully – Leadership in Public Management, Bridgewater State University and PDE fellow
Shaheen Beeharry – Leadership in Public Management, Howard University and PDE Fellow
Anne Jelissa Legentil – Leadership in Civic Engagement, Florida Gulf Coast University
Darshinee Choytah – Leadership in Civic Engagement, Presidential Precinct
Preetima Moteea – Leadership in Civic Engagement, Presidential Precinct
Shameer M.C Ramdin – Leadership in Business, Iowa State University
Experiences of the Fellows
Anusha Seechurn
The Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) has been a life-enhancing experience. I returned from the US with renewed confidence and affirmation of my leadership potential as a young person to continue shaping my community with the tools, skills and knowledge gained. For me, being a Mandela Washington Fellow Alumna, is the highest leadership achievement for a Young African Leader. I studied Leadership in Public Management at the only Ivy-League Institute of the fellowship, Cornell University, with other 24 African fellows. This translates into access to world class education, high-level networks, elevated standards of conversations and wide exposure to renowned organisations. I had the opportunity to interact with Senator Lea Webb, the first young female Black American Senator of New York State who inspired me with her unique journey of breaking stereotypes and overcoming challenges to be in the leadership position she is. For Mandela Day, we participated in cultural exchange with schools and this taught us about the power of positive schooling in personality development since very young age. I visited the United Nations, which is a highlight for me as a climate change and sustainability professional, to be where the most important decisions about implementing SDGs are taken. A triumph for me as an artist was to represent the African cultural heritage of our country by performing a sega dance at the Washington D.C Summit. I learnt about the power of art and storytelling to take leadership to the next level. Meeting the 700 young African leaders during the Summit was an enriching experience as we all have in common the drive to take initiative for bringing positive change for our continent.
Joshna Bhoobun Sookun
I attended the Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts to follow leadership in Public Management course as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. The exposure was very enriching in terms of understanding the American approach to public management, networking with American experts as well as African leaders from various fields and a self-discovery journey, learning and honing leadership skills and networking with like-minded African and American leaders. During the American Judicial Panel, I engaged with Judge Asha White of the District Court of Massachusetts discussing about the American Judicial System. One site visit which I was thoroughly impressed with was that of the Harvard University – Harvard Law School, and sessions at its Centre for Public Leadership and School of African Studies. The ‘Dress a Girl Around the World’ organisation was where fellows volunteered to sew dressed to be shipped to needy people worldwide. The Fellowship was also a platform for cultural exchange in terms of food, dance, music sharing, especially for July 4 th Independence Day Parade as well as during the whole fellowship among fellow Africans. It was all in all a very enriching experience for me and a privilege to form part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni network.
Anne Jelissa Legentil
I had the privilege to embark on an enlightening journey as a Mandela Washington Fellow at Florida Gulf Coast University, where I participated in the Civic Engagement Track. This transformative experience connected me with 24 exceptional young leaders from 22 diverse African countries, fostering an environment of cross-cultural collaboration and knowledge exchange. During my time in the program, I delved deep into the realms of civic engagement and sustainability, enriching my understanding of these critical concepts. Through intensive workshops, interactive discussions, I honed my leadership skills while gaining insights into innovative approaches to address societal challenges. One of the highlights of the Fellowship was the opportunity to witness the power of civil society in the community. Engaging with local organizations and change-makers showcased the immense impact that grassroots efforts can have on social, environmental, and economic issues. Immersed in the vibrant environment of southwest Florida, I found inspiration in the resilience and determination of individuals working collectively to drive positive change. MWF ignited a renewed passion for driving meaningful transformation in my own community and as I return home, I carry with me the experiences and connections that will undoubtedly shape my journey as a civic leader dedicated to fostering change.
Darshinee Choytah
The Mandela Washington Fellowship has been life changing, thought provoking and a rollercoaster experience! I was hosted by the Presidential Precinct in Virginia, US and studied the civic engagement track at William and Mary, James Madison’s Montpelier (home of the founding father of US Constitution) and University of Virginia. During the Fellowship, I presented an ignite talk on women rights, elections and Africa during the Presidential Precinct Summit and the Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit uniting the 700 Fellows from African countries. I visited Colonial Williamsburg, a preservation site for American Colonial history, and the homes of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe, all former US Presidents. I learned from academic lectures from US lecturers on leadership, foundations of civic engagement, constitution making, election campaign, fund raising and voice development. The Presidential Precinct organized relevant networking sessions for us Fellows: lawyers, founders of non-profit organisations, journalists and campaign managers, conversations with whom sparked ideas of future collaboration. I also volunteered with organisations like C4K to spend time with kids doing fun activities. I grew as a person, came home with collaborative ideas and determined to implement my focus project on which I received personal coaching from two US experts.
Preetima Moteeah
My experience throughout the Mandela Washington Fellowship has been humbling and enlightening. The Fellowship promotes mutually beneficial knowledge-sharing and opportunities during networking sessions, social and cultural activities. Leadership sessions aim at maximizing one’s strengths as well as the strengths of others in teamwork, to drive transformational change. Academic sessions provide valuable resources for sustainable civic engagement, for instance, the use of design thinking, the significance of monitoring and evaluation, the nature of constitution-building, storytelling and relational organizing, the tenets of local governance, resource mobilization, fundraising and asset-based community development. In addition, being involved in various community services fosters the inspirational legacy of Nelson Mandela and allows Fellows to gain first-hand experience in volunteerism. Site visits helped me to discover the long history of African American struggle for civil rights in the United States and prompted reflection on cultural memory and cultural preservation. During my experience, I realized that Africa is a diverse continent and differences in cultural norms across countries should be celebrated. Through the sharing of experiences, I concluded that similar issues plague African states, for example, corruption, gender inequality and climate change and a collective African identity and strategy are therefore of utmost importance in today’s era.
All the fellows obtained a certificate from their host intitutes (Universities) and from Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of the U.S Department of States and a congratulations letter from Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States! The eight Mauritian Fellows heartily thank the US Department of State for the full funding, IREX for administrative purposes, the US Embassy in Mauritius and our respective Institutes for having chosen and trained us for and during this Fellowship.
The application for the Mandela Washington Fellowship is now opened. Visit the following website to submit your application: https://www.mandelawashingtonfellowship.org/apply/
You have until 13th of September 2023 to apply for this monumental programme!