Application Deadline: March 8th, 2022
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is an initiative of Barack Obama, former President of the United States, which dates back to 2010. The objective is to support young African leaders in their efforts to stimulate growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and improve the peace and security in the African continent. Initially, it consisted of a series of high-level forums, including the Obama Forum with Young African Leaders in August 2010, the Pioneering Young African Women Forum in June 2011, and the Innovation and Partnership for Mentoring Young African Leaders of June 2012, in addition to the approximately two thousand (2000) youth activities that took place at US Embassies across the African continent. Mandela Washington Fellowship, YALI Network, and YALI Regional Leadership Centers.
The Regional Leadership Centers were created in Africa, to have more impact by training more leaders. Centers are based in Nairobi (Kenya), Pretoria (South Africa), Accra (Ghana) and Dakar (Senegal).
With support from USAID and The MasterCard Foundation, the Center Africain d’Etudes Supérieures en Gestion (CESAG) and its main partners (the Synapse Center and the West African Research Center) have set up the Regional Center for Leadership ( CRL) which offers future leaders from 25 African countries skills, tools and opportunities to help them realize their dreams, and thus shape the future of the continent.
The CRL YALI DAKAR covers from October 2020 the following 25 countries:BENIN, BURKINA FASO, BURUNDI, CAMEROON, CAPE VERDE, CENTRAL AFRICA, COMOROS, IVORY COAST, DJIBOUTI, GABON, REPUBLIC OF GUINEA, GUINEA BISSAU, EQUATORIAL GUINEA, MAURITIUS, MADAGASCAR, MALI, MAURITANIA, NIGER, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, REPUBLIC OF CONGO, SAO TOME ET PRINCIPE, SENEGAL, SEYCHELLES, CHAD and TOGO.
The YALI DAKAR Regional Leadership Center (CRL) housed within the African Center for Higher Studies in Management (CESAG) offers two types of training in the following 3 areas: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Leadership and Public Management. It is :
- the hybrid training which takes place over 5 weeks with 2 weeks of online training followed by 3 weeks of face-to-face training in Dakar.
- distance training which takes place over 8 weeks entirely online and asynchronously.
Requirements
The project targets young people between the ages of 18 and 35 with leadership potential and who meet the following criteria:
- be able to read and write in French;
- be a citizen and resident of one of the following 25 countries: BENIN, BURKINA FASO, BURUNDI, CAMEROON, CAPE VERDE, CENTRAL AFRICA, COMOROS, IVORY COAST, DJIBOUTI, GABON, REPUBLIC OF GUINEA, GUINEA BISSAU, EQUATORIAL GUINEA, ISLANDS MAURITIUS, MADAGASCAR, MALI, MAURITANIA, NIGER, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, REPUBLIC OF CONGO, SAO TOME ET PRINCIPE, SENEGAL, SEYCHELLES, CHAD and TOGO;
- have a valid passport or identity document;
- be willing to follow the 8 weeks of online courses and participate in distance learning activities;
- be willing to follow the 2 weeks of online courses, participate in the activities and travel to Dakar for a duration of 3 weeks for the hybrid training;
- have access to the internet and to an IT tool (computer or tablet) to follow the online training phases (both in hybrid training and in distance training);
- be willing to put the skills and training received in the field of leadership at the service of his country and / or his community after the program.
Depending on your profile or your project, you must choose a single area of training: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic leadership, or public management.
Selection Criteria
The final selection for participation in the training programs of the Dakar-based YALI Regional Leadership Center will be made by a selection committee. In addition to the criteria mentioned above, the committee will also base itself on the following criteria:
- good interpersonal and communication skills;
- good knowledge of youth leadership issues and development issues;
- the ability to work independently, with minimal supervision;
- the ability to integrate harmoniously and work in a small or large team;
- basic computer skills;
- sensitivity to culture, diversity and inclusion;
- a positive attitude;
- evidence of commitment, sense of responsibility and integrity;
- proof of an unfailing motivation for the positive transformation of Africa whatever his level of studies, professional background, origin or status.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the YALI Regional Leadership Center Dakar Online Cohort 13/14