In July 2014, President Obama announced the creation of YALI Regional Leadership Centers in Africa. Starting in summer 2015, these centers will build on existing institutional capacity in Africa to provide high quality training, mentoring, and networking support to a greater number of young leaders than can be reached through the Mandela Washington Fellowship. The Centers will reach exceptional young leaders between the ages 18 and 35 from a wide range of backgrounds and diverse experiences.The Regional Leadership Centers will:- Provide Quality Leadership Training: The Centers will provide certificate courses on leadership and issues across multiple sectors.
- Support Entrepreneurship: The Centers will provide entrepreneurship support services, including mentoring, technology, and access to capital.
- Enhance Professional Development and Networking: The Centers will offer young leaders the opportunity to network with each other, American professionals, and experts from across the region, as well as obtain internships and mentorships.
Young leaders from across sub-Saharan Africa are encouraged to learn more about and apply to the Regional Leadership Center in their region. Learn more about the opportunities available by selecting your region below. Countries supported by each region are listed in the table at the bottom of this page.
EAST AFRICA
The Regional Leadership Center East Africa, located in Nairobi, Kenya will have a robust training curriculum with direction from a partnership that brings together Deloitte East Africa’s global management and strategy skills, the established curriculum and capacity of Kenyatta University, the public administration training of the Kenya School of Government, and Africa Nazarene University’s youth engagement and outreach. Learn how to apply to the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa here.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
The Regional Leadership Center Southern Africa, located in Pretoria, South Africa will benefit from an education alliance led by the University of South Africa, with governance training from the University of Pretoria, and entrepreneurship support from Innovation Hub. Learn how to apply to the YALI Regional Leadership Center Southern Africa here.
WEST AFRICA
The Regional Leadership Center West Africa-Accra, located in Accra, Ghana will be led by the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, and supported by a consortium of civil and private sector organizations including Africa 2.0, the Africa Capacity Building Foundation, the Ghana Private Enterprise Federation, and the Center for Policy Analysis. Learn how to apply to the YALI Regional Leadership Center West Africa here.
The Regional Leadership Center West Africa-Dakar, located in Dakar, Senegal will assist young entrepreneurs through the African Center for Advanced Studies in Management’s (CESAG) experience in professional management studies, the West African Research Center’s youth leadership training experience, the Synapse Center’s support to young entrepreneurs, and Africa 2.0’s broad network of young African leaders. More information on applying to this Center will be posted soon.
PARTNER WITH YALI TO SUPPORT THE CENTERS
Each Regional Leadership Center will be run as a public-private partnership, capitalizing on the energy and dynamism of the private sector, the knowledge of African and American institutions, and the programmatic and educational resources of the U.S. Government. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) intends to provide at least $38 million for the creation of the Regional Leadership Centers. Companies and foundations have more than matched these funds, providing principal capital for the startup costs, equipment, technical expertise, and technology for the Centers. The $15 million partnership with The MasterCard Foundation will support the development and operations of the Centers. With financial and in-kind contributions from many private sector partners, including Microsoft, Intel Corporation, Cisco Systems, and Mara Foundation, the U.S. Government will be able to establish and maintain the Centers, and provide business software and hardware, mentoring, and information technology training. With in-kind support from Proctor & Gamble, General Electric, Atlas Mara, and McKinsey & Company, USAID and its partners will be able to provide leadership training, technical support, and access to capital for young entrepreneurs.
Your organization can partner with us to deepen YALI’s impact and reach tens of thousands of young leaders with quality, relevant leadership training opportunities.
By partnering with USAID on YALI, your organization will be uniquely placed to impact the lives of Africa’s next generation while expanding your brand and networks on the continent. Benefits of partnership include:
- Access to foremost young entrepreneurs and future leaders across sub-Saharan Africa.
- Access to an active network of change-makers across the continent.
- Opportunities for significant branding on the continent.
- Participation in a legacy program that ties partners to the cultivation of an exciting generation of African leaders in the long term.
OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTNERSHIP
USAID welcomes a wide variety of partnerships to support the Centers. Companies interested in partnership can:
- Contribute to Center Facilities and Infrastructure: Offer technology, communications, and capital assets to support Center development and expansion to reach young leaders in all of sub-Saharan Africa.
- Provide Access to Leadership Development Resources: Contribute existing curricula on leadership and entrepreneurship topics that can be tailored to suit the needs of the Center participants.
- Lend the Expertise of Your Organization’s Leaders & Staff: Lend expert trainers and mentors to support professional development activities at the Centers, and/or make resident or visiting company VIPs available for guest lectures, roundtable discussions, and panels on topics applicable to Regional Leadership Center participants.
- Offer In-Kind Contributions to Support Access: Provide in-kind contributions of hotel rooms, flights, and local transportation to ensure young leaders from all countries across sub-Saharan Africa have access to Center programs.
- Host Center Participants for Professional Development Opportunities: Provide Center participants access to experiential learning experiences at your offices by offering job shadowing and internships.
- Propose a Partnership: Don’t see the level of partnership your organization desires listed here? If you have ideas for a partnership, please contact us at africanleaders@usaid.gov. The private sector is uniquely placed to identify and define compelling business and development problems and solutions. USAID is eager to collaborate with the private sector to achieve the greatest degree of transformational and sustainable impact.
For additional information, e-mail us at africanleaders@usaid.gov.
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