Business and Entrepreneurship
This track caters to the range of emerging or aspiring entrepreneurs who hope to take on leadership roles within the private sector or build their own business ventures on the continent.
The application window for Cohorts 35, 36 & 37 has now been CLOSED. For future application and cohort dates, please click
here.
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) was launched by former President of the United States Barack Obama as a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. The need to invest in grooming strong, results-oriented leaders comes out of the statistics: nearly 1 in 3 Africans are between the ages of 10 and 24, and approximately 60% of Africa’s total population is below the age of 35.
Who will empower and lead these young Africans? Who will shape the future of business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and public management? In order to answer these questions, YALI promotes three models designed to identify and empower young leaders: the YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship, YALI Network, and the Regional Leadership Centers across Africa.To learn more about the three components of YALI, please view this video https://www.facebook.com/U.S.EmbassyNairobi/videos/10153783687858694/.
There are four Regional Leadership Centers (Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa). These Centers serve as regional hubs across the continent to encourage transformational learning and enhancing leadership skills. The YALI Regional Leadership Centers are a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in close partnership with The MasterCard Foundation. Each Regional Leadership Center is managed under a public/private partnership.
The YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa, located at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya serves 14 countries in East and Central Africa: Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Center is overseen by Deloitte East Africa and is supported by a growing number of African and international partners.
The YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa is more than a location for learning or a venue for collaboration, it is a philosophy, a forward-leaning culture of diversity that invites dreaming and thinking differently to define and realize one’s potential. Its programs are inclusive, embracing future leaders regardless of gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, or disability. For those selected to participate, there is no cost. All travel, materials, lodging for the residential program, etc. are funded through the Center by our generous partners. However, all personal incidentals such as passport fees, supplementary meals, entertainment, etc. will be at the expense of the participant.
Selected participants will engage in leadership training across three tracks of study: (1) Business and Entrepreneurship, (2) Civic Leadership, and (3) Public Management in a 4-week residential format with a focus on individual and team leadership skills, innovation, creative learning, and communication. The program's emphasis is on interactive and experiential learning which fosters each participant's ability to contribute both individually and in teams.
This track caters to the range of emerging or aspiring entrepreneurs who hope to take on leadership roles within the private sector or build their own business ventures on the continent.
Oriented to those who are or aspire to be civically engaged and serve the public through non-governmental organizations, community based organizations, or volunteerism.
Tailored to those who work or aspire to work in any level of government (including elected positions), regional organizations such as the African Union or the East Africa Community, international organizations such as the United Nations, or other publicly-minded organizations or think tanks.
Develop partnerships with companies and organizations to sustain this standard of excellence
Work with experienced professional volunteers 1:1 and/or in groups
Learn cutting-edge leadership techniques
Build better communities by becoming involved in shaping the future
Study in a high-tech environment that brings leadership skills to your front door
Work in teams, embrace innovation, learn by doing
Competition for the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa is merit-based and open to young East African leaders who meet the following criteria:
by Yaffet Girum Tesfaye, Cohort 27, Ethiopia
I broke YALI RLC EA’s all-time Microsoft Office Certification record by scoring 936 out of 1000 on my Microsoft PowerPoint Examination. At 2
Read MoreBy Ambrose Kamya, Uganda, Cohort 31
In Uganda, this is just one of the thousands of both told and untold stories of women and girls violated annually. According to the Uganda Demographic survey (201
Read MoreBy Michelle-Rita, Kenya, Cohort 26.
On 10th April 2019, MasterCard Foundation in collaboration with YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa (YALI RLC EA) and Ashesi University put up a forum for
Read MoreSelection for participation in the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa will be conducted as a merit-based, open competition. All eligible applications will be reviewed by a selection panel. Chosen semi-finalists will then be interviewed before a final selection is made and an invitation to join the program is issued.
Selection panels will use the following criteria to evaluate applications:
Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, gender, religion, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Facebook Feeds
Twitter Feeds
Tweets by @YALIRLCEA