The U.S. government says it is committed to supporting emerging Nigerian leaders in their efforts to spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association (MWFAAN) launched a mentoring program for 125 Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Network members at the American Corner in Ikeja with support from the U.S Consulate General in Lagos.
During the three-month program, the YALI Network members will gain new skills and knowledge from their mentors who are alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.
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Through this initiative, the YALI Network members will gain the skills and resources they need to accelerate their careers and contribute more robustly to strengthening good governance, promoting disability rights, empowering and creating opportunities for women and girls, and protecting the environment.
Delivering remarks at the launch of the program, MWFAAN president Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem said the association members were inspired to create the mentoring program because of challenges they faced pursuing their own career goals.
Adetola-Kazeem praised the participants for joining the mentoring program and thanked the mentors who are volunteering their time to develop the next generation of Nigerian leaders in public management, business and entrepreneurship, and civic leadership.
“Some of the features of this program include a job and career fair to bolster the impact of the YALI Learns program. We are hopeful that this initiative will strengthen the synergy between all three branches of the YALI family: Mandela Washington Fellows, YALI Regional Leadership Center participants, and active members of the online YALI Network,” Adetola-Kazeem said.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative.
Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship has brought nearly 5,100 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training.
The U.S. Mission in Nigeria supports a variety of international exchange programs each year, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
These people-to-people exchanges are designed to enhance mutual understanding between the United States and other nations. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is committed to supporting alumni of these programs by providing resources that will help them to build upon their exchange experience.
