Application Deadline: 14 June 2024
The Aspen Global Innovators Group, in collaboration with the Senegal-based, international advocacy, public affairs, and campaigns firm Niyel, launched the Impact West Africa Fellowship program.
This initiative aims to elevate the voices of leaders with proximate and lived expertise by providing a fellowship experience that centres on the expertise of West African leaders. The inaugural Impact Fellowship program was launched in Senegal in 2023, opening an exciting and unique avenue to develop a new generation of powerful African development advocates, in order to advance Africa’s own development priorities. This program will spotlight advocates from French-speaking and English-speaking West African countries, highlighting West Africa’s Francophone and Anglophone key issues. Fellows will be individuals with a proven passion for advocacy and solid track records in activities related to improving lives and influencing meaningful change across the West African region.
Program Components
The Impact West Africa Fellowship program equips changemakers from the region with the skills and support needed to tackle common challenges that affect close to half a billion people across the region’s 17 countries. Each Impact Fellow will participate in an intensive 12-month journey to help them advance their individual advocacy goals. Throughout the year-long program, Fellows continue their professional commitments while receiving tailored mentorship, attending two immersive convenings, and participating in quarterly online training sessions between convenings.
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicants must be a citizen of and reside in a West African country
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate a passion and commitment to advocacy that addresses one or more key issues affecting the West African region
- Applicants must have access to a reliable internet connection
- Applicants must be able to participate throughout the entirety of the program
- Have organizational support, in the form of a letter, to fully engage in the fellowship experience
Key program details include:
- 2 in-person week-long convenings
- Quarterly virtual training
- Professional mentorship support
- Applicants are required to attend two in-person convenings that typically last for 5 days including all day sessions and cohort bonding activities; tentative dates slated for September 2024 and Jan/Feb 2025
- Applicants must join all 3 virtual training sessions; tentative dates slated for November, April, July
- Mentorship meetings will be scheduled based on the availability of both the Fellow and mentors; however, expectations are that Fellows will meet with their mentor at least once during the month
Benefits:
- All travel-related costs for the two in-person convenings including airfare, local transportation, lodging, and food will be covered by the fellowship.
Timeline:
- May 1, 2024 – Application opens
- June 30, 2024 – Application close
- July 2024 – Successful applicants will be invited to participate in an interview
- Early August 2024- Applicants are notified of the application status
- Late August 2024- Successful applicants are virtually onboarded as Fellows
- September 2024- First convening in Dakar (Tentative)
- November 2024- First Virtual Training (Tentative)
- Jan/Feb 2025- Second convening, location TBD (Tentative)
- April 2025- Second Virtual Training (Tentative)
- July 2025- Final Virtual Training (Tentative)
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Aspen- Impact West Africa Fellowship Program