The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders—the flagship exchange program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)—was created to invest in the next generation of African leaders. Established in 2014, the Fellowship has supported Alumni from across Sub-Saharan Africa to develop their leadership skills and foster connections and collaboration with U.S. professionals. The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. The Fellowship’s Reciprocal Exchange component provides U.S. professionals with the opportunity to build upon strategic partnerships and professional connections developed during the Mandela Washington Fellowship. U.S. professionals are provided funds to implement in-person or hybrid projects in Sub-Saharan African countries to continue collaborative work with Fellowship Alumni on the continent. U.S. professionals may include Americans engaged with the Fellowship through networking, the Summit, Professional Development Experiences, or other activities.
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Summary
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Benefits
The Reciprocal Exchange component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship aims to provide opportunities for U.S. professionals and Fellowship Alumni to form lasting partnerships and expand markets and networks between the United States and countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Award Objectives
- The Mandela Washington Fellowship will provide grants of up to $3,000 per selected project to support hybrid Reciprocal Exchange programs or grants of up to $5,000 per selected Participant (up to four Participants) to support travel to Sub-Saharan Africa and other program-related costs during the grant period.
- Participants and Fellowship Alumni will implement a short-term project that directly benefits individuals in the project country during implementation. Projects should be no longer than four weeks.
- Participants and Fellowship Alumni will expand their professional networks, gain new business opportunities, and build new knowledge or skills during their Reciprocal Exchange project planning and implementation periods.
- Participants will actively share skills and knowledge gained during their Reciprocal Exchange with other U.S. citizens in their home communities after implementing their Reciprocal Exchange to benefit American organizations and businesses.
Requirements
U.S. professionals participating in the Reciprocal Exchange must be U.S. citizens currently living in the United States. U.S. professionals may not be employees or immediate family members of employees of the U.S. Government (including a U.S. Embassy or other U.S. Government entity). Any one individual can complete no more than two in-person Reciprocal Exchange projects.
Fellowship Alumni must be considered Alumni of the Fellowship in good standing by the U.S. Department of State. They may not be employees or immediate family members of employees of the U.S. Government. Fellowship Alumni must reside in the proposed project country and be present for the full duration of the project’s implementation.
Selection Process
Eligible applications will be reviewed using the following selection criteria:
- Demonstrates impact on the Fellowship Alumni Collaborator’s home organization, community, and/or country;
- Demonstrates impact and concrete benefit to U.S. companies, communities, or organizations;
- Demonstrates joint engagement between the Fellowship Alumni Collaborator and U.S. professional in project design and implementation (i.e., it should be clear to application reviewers that each applicant contributed equally to the overall application);
- Proposes a clear and realistic project implementation plan;
- Provides measurable goals and specific project activities during implementation; and
- Demonstrates continued impact of the project after implementation.
Preference will be given to applications that also demonstrate the following:
- Projects that incorporate activities or events that celebrate and showcase American leadership and innovation;
- A history of collaboration between the U.S. professional and the Fellowship Alumni Collaborator as a result of the Mandela Washington Fellowship;
- Proposals for the implementation phase of project execution;
- Project teams with professional expertise relevant to the proposed activities;
- Interest in both the cultural and professional exchange aspects of the collaboration;
- Contribution to furthering a pre-existing project or initiative;
- Budget cost-sharing; and
- Engagement of Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni networks.
Restrictions
- Reciprocal Exchange-funded project components may not charge a participation fee from intended beneficiaries.
- Proposed Reciprocal Exchanges activities must not involve direct clinical patient contact, which may include, but is not limited to: contact with human or animal patients; human or animal remains; corpses; cadavers; or carcasses; and/or the practice of medicine or other licensed health sciences, including practical exposure to the fields of medical and veterinary sciences, nursing, dentistry, psychological counseling, or any other field that requires direct clinical patient contact and/or prescribing or administering medication.
- Project funds may not be used to cover salaries or consultancy fees.
- The Fellowship team reviews all projects for safety, including relevant U.S. Department of State Advisories, when approving in-person projects. Participants are not permitted to travel to locations with a Level 4 travel advisory. Project teams may only apply for hybrid projects for locations with a Level 4 travel advisory.
- U.S. professionals may only participate in one Reciprocal Exchange Award per calendar year (i.e., implementation dates between February 1 – November 30, 2026).
Application Deadline
September 19, 2025How To Apply
For more details, visit Mandela Washington Fellowship webpage
