Deadline:
January 05, 2025
Location(s)
Online
The Leaders program is designed to build connection and community within the cohort by enabling Leaders to reflect on their own values and activate shared values. Each regional program will meet virtually over Zoom for an average of four times per month, engaging with trainers, subject matter experts, and their peers to deepen their leadership practices. On average, sessions range from approximately 1 to 3 hours.
Overview
The Obama Foundation Leaders Africa program seeks to build a growing network of innovative and values-based changemakers who will drive positive change in their communities, the continent, and the world.
Details
During the Obamas’ tenure in the White House, they traveled across the African continent and witnessed incredible stories of young African leaders carrying the baton for change. Since then, they’ve formed partnerships to expand opportunities and create new connections for passionate leaders, beginning with the inaugural Leaders Africa program in 2018.
Leaders Africa is a six-month, non-residential, virtual leadership journey for 34 emerging leaders from across the continent focused on exploring values-based leadership skills and building deep relationships with fellow cohort members.
The virtual Leaders Africa program seeks to identify exceptional leaders in public, civil society, and the private sector who have a clear issue-focus and who can illustrate the impact of their work. Our objective is to build a network of values-based leaders, who create positive, innovative change in their communities, throughout Africa, and around the world.
Leaders participate in the following core elements as part of the program:
- Weekly Virtual Video Calls: These live virtual sessions are the primary form of collective engagement. These connections, an average of four times monthly, offer a mix of new content (conversations with experts, introductions to leadership frameworks, skill-building, etc.) and interactive, small-group work in breakout rooms.
- Monthly Community Groups: Leaders work in peer learning groups that encourage deeper relationship-building and peer-learning, and offer opportunities to reflect on case studies of prominent African leaders, or discuss open questions from the group sessions.
- Individualized Leadership Coaching: Each Leader is paired with a coach to help them gain self-awareness, clarify goals, brainstorm ideas, achieve their development objectives, and unlock their potential.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Location
The program currently invites individuals residing in all countries and territories in the continent of Africa.
Citizenship and Residency
You must meet one of the following criteria:
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Citizen of an African country or territory OR
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Permanent resident of an African country or territory OR
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Have lived in an African country or territory for at least the last 5 years, regardless of citizenship or permanent residence status
Geographic Focus
Your work is geographically focused on creating positive change for local communities, an African nation or territory, and/or the broader Africa region. You demonstrate a strong commitment to continue to focus your work in the Africa region.
Program Commitment
The Leaders Africa program is currently scheduled to begin the week of September 1, 2025 and will conclude no later than May 1, 2026, with planned breaks throughout.
Language Proficiency & Age
You are professionally proficient in English and you will be between 24 and 45 years of age on September 1, 2025.
Political Campaigns
You will refrain from participating in an electoral campaign as a candidate for political office from the time you are accepted into the program through May 1, 2026. Selection decisions are currently scheduled to be sent out in June 2025.
Leadership Experience
You can demonstrate at least 3 years of relevant experience in your issue area.
Jurisdiction and Ability to Participate in a U.S.-Based Program
The Obama Foundation is based in the United States. To participate in the program, you must be under no legal or regulatory restrictions that would limit your participation in virtual Foundation programming or travel to the U.S. for in-person programming (if any).
Dates
Deadline: January 05, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
Participants selected for the Obama Foundation Leaders program incur no fees.
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
