Miller welcomes Mandela Washington Fellows
Earl Miller | Wednesday August 24, 2016 14:58
Participants were hosted by universities across America, including Howard University in Washington, D.C., Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and the University of California at Berkeley. The programme included leadership seminars and mentoring and networking sessions, as well as community service opportunities and cultural outings.
Fellows then travelled to Washington, D.C. to participate in a three-day Presidential Summit, which included a town hall meeting with President Obama and leaders in the US government, civil society, and private sector. Two members of Botswana’s delegation will stay in the United States for eight week internships.
We are very proud of this year’s Mandela Washington Fellows, who represent some of Botswana’s most talented and accomplished young leaders. They inspire us with their commitment to addressing issues critical to Botswana’s future development, including combatting gender based violence, promoting conservation, and eradicating HIV/AIDS.
The returned Fellows have access to active support networks to help them hone their leadership skills, share ideas, and form new collaborations. In addition to the US Embassy, these partners include the Botswana YALI network, a registered nonprofit organisation created by 2014 and 2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni, as well as the virtual YALI Network and Regional Leadership Centres located across Africa. We look forward to working with the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellows as they achieve their professional and personal goals, empower their communities, and find creative and sustainable solutions to new challenges.
We also look forward to receiving applications for the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship. We encourage youth leaders between 25 and 35 years old to follow our website: http://botswana.usembassy.gov/, Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/U.S.EmbassyGaborone, Twitter https://twitter.com/embassygaborone, and to watch for upcoming YALI announcements, including how to apply to be a Fellow.
*Earl R. Miller is United States Ambassador to Botswana*