Application Deadline: September 18, 2026 11:59 pm
Applications are now open for the 2027 WomenLift Health Southern Africa Signature Leadership Journey. The fully funded, 12-month WomenLift Health Southern AfricaLeadership Journey is designed to provide talented women leaders in health with the safe space to explore their authentic leadership through vulnerability and reflection, an inclusive and diverse network which fosters a strong sense of belonging, tools and strategies for enhancing their voice, presence, and influence – all the while being supported by a powerful group of peers, mentors, and coaches. The program imparts contextualized tools and frameworks to address the individual, institutional, health sector challenges that women leaders in global health face today.
Participants engage in two in-person experiential learning residencies (Immersion and Lift-Off), in addition to virtual learning touchpoints, virtual group mentoring, virtual one-on-one coaching sessions, and importantly, a self-directed Health Leadership Project – all the while being supported by their Leadership Journey community and experts in the health sector.
Global Fellows, those who successfully complete the Leadership Journey, will be part of a lifelong network of allies at local, regional, and global levels who continue to support each other and new cohort members and advocate for women’s leadership.
The 2027 WomenLift Health Southern Africa Leadership Journey will include 35 women leaders in health++ working in Southern Africa Health++ recognizes that sustainable improvements in health require coordinated action across interconnected fields that shape and enable health such as climate change, food systems, agriculture, water and sanitation, education, economic policy, gender equity, and technology.
Program Dates
- The in-person residences involving travel include the three-day Immersion (13-16 April 2027), including travel days on 12 April and 17 April and the two-day Lift-Off (14-15 March 2028) , including travel days on 13 March and 16 March). The location of the in-person residencies will be communicated to the cohort members closer to the event dates but will be in Southern Africa.
Eligibility Criteria
- You are eligible for consideration if you meet all the following criteria:
- Identify as a woman
- Demonstrate fluency and confidence in both written and verbal English communication. This includes the ability to articulate emotions, participate in reflective dialogue, engage in complex interpersonal conversations, and integrate leadership development concepts throughout the Journey.
- Are a citizen who resides and works within the following country/countries: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, eSwatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
- Live in CAT (+/-1 hour) time zones for at least 75% of the program as we believe time zone compatibility is essential to your ability to participate at the touchpoints and to engage with your peers within and outside of the sessions.
- Are a mid-career leader with 10–25 years of work experience in health++. WomenLift Health defines Health++ as the recognition that sustainable improvements in health require coordinated action across interconnected fields that shape and enable health such as climate change, food systems, agriculture, water and sanitation, education, economic policy, gender equity, and technology.
- WomenLift Health is committed to selecting diverse cohort members, representing different sectors (public, private, academia, NGO, philanthropy), disciplines, and cultural backgrounds, etc.
- Should you have any questions related to the above, and more especially whether you meet the criteria or not, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] and we will respond for any clarification.
Benefits
- Cost: Free (all program costs, including travel and lodging, are covered.)
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the WomenLift Health Southern Africa Signature Leadership Journey
