Over the summer, twenty-five of Africa’s brightest emerging leaders virtually participated in an academic and leadership institute at the University of Minnesota through the Mandela Washington Fellowship, part of the Young African Leaders Initiative.
This year’s fellows came from 18 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. They are leaders in fields as diverse as pediatrics and graphic design to climate policy and disability rights.
The six-week institute supported the fellows’ leadership development through academic coursework, workshops, mentoring, and networking opportunities. Fellows learned about communications and messaging from ConnectionsLab, a nonprofit based in St. Paul, and discussed community organizing with the Public Achievement Center, based at Augsburg University. Merrie Benasutti, a previous director of the program who now works in the Office of Public Engagement, was key in connecting the fellows with these community organizations.
The fellows also participated in the Circle of Peace Movement. This community-based organization brings people together to solve neighborhood problems. Fellows talked to Twin Cities youth about their experiences, and they learned how to run a circle of peace in their own communities.
Networking was an important part of the institute, according to Christopher Johnstone, an associate professor of organizational leadership, policy, and development and the program’s academic director. Program leaders matched fellows with University experts to discuss their work and learn from each other. These coaches were able to connect fellows with others, creating focus groups around specific topics like access to education or women’s involvement in maritime industries.
Fellows connected with their peers across the country by joining a community of practice, focusing on such as health, education, and entrepreneurialism. The health community was based at the University of Minnesota, and included fellows at eight different universities across the country.
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 University of Minnesota is a sub-grantee of IREX and implemented a Leadership Institute as a part of the 2021 Fellowship. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, please visit the Fellowship’s website at www.mandelawashingtonfellowship.org.
Meet the Fellows
Hayat Ahmed Ali, Ethiopia
Hayat Ahmed Ali is an assistant professor of pediatrics and child health at the College of Health Sciences at Addis Ababa University with more than seven years of work experience. She holds a medical degree and a specialty certificate in Pediatrics and Child Health. She is currently a subspecialty trainee in pediatric cardiology and provides medical care for children with congenital and acquired heart diseases. She also works in medical education and mentors medical students and residents. Hayat is a member of the executive board of the Ethiopian Pediatric Society, a professional association striving to attain quality health services for newborns, children, and adolescents. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she hopes to pursue a career in pediatric cardiology and work toward building and sustaining holistic and multidisciplinary care for children with heart diseases. Hayat will also continue promoting quality healthcare for children through her work with the Ethiopian Pediatric Society.
Omobolanle Banwo, Nigeria
Omobolanle Arinke Banwo has more than seven years of experience in graphic design. She is the founder and lead designer at Geneza Brands, a branding agency in Nigeria that focuses on helping businesses create strong identities through design. She is also founder of The Female Designer Movement, an initiative that has trained more than 3,000 women in graphic design for free as part of its mission to increase the number of women in the African technology ecosystem. Omobolanle holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication. Her work is driven by her desire to increase opportunity and access for people who wish to do meaningful work in technology and design. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Omobolanle hopes to leverage her experience, skills, and strategies to build a broader, more efficient system to increase opportunity for young, talented Africans.
Bohlale Buzani, South Africa
Bohlale Buzani has more than three years of experience as a youth policy advocate in South Africa. Bohlale is one of the pioneers of the Unemployed Youth Movement, a youth social movement that advocates for youth-inclusive economic policies. He has worked in his municipal ward to initiate youth-driven programs and has founded informal sector companies to boost the local economy. He is known as a public speaker, entrepreneur, and community developer. Bohlale is currently pursuing a degree in Development Studies. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Bohlale aims to found the first youth-led political parties in South Africa. He believes that the youth of South Africa will dismantle current inefficient systems and build sustainable systems and programs for generations to come.
Gorretti Byomire, Uganda
Gorretti Byomire has been a lecturer with the faculty of Computing and Informatics at Makerere University Business School for 15 years. Gorretti is also the director of the university’s Disability Resource and Learning Center, where she fosters an equitable, accessible, and inclusive learning environment that responds to all abilities and learning styles. An advocate for disability inclusion in higher education in Uganda, she conducts activities that promote community participation of people with disabilities and runs training and mentorship programs for students with disabilities. She also is at the forefront of a scholarship initiative aimed at increasing the number of people with disabilities who attain a university education. Gorretti believes that the inclusion of people with disabilities in development has important ramifications for the achievement of international global development goals. Gorretti is pursuing her Ph.D. in Information Systems at the University of South Africa. She holds a Master of Information Technology, a postgraduate diploma in ICT E-learning Options, and a Bachelor of Business Computing. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she will continue her work to remove barriers faced by people with disabilities and to develop their potential and abilities.
Moses Chama, Zambia
Moses Chama has more than eight years of experience in fisheries, aquaculture, and livestock development in Zambia. Currently, Moses is district fisheries and livestock coordinator at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock for Zambezi District in North-Western Province. There he coordinates the enhancement of fisheries and livestock productivity. He has also been involved in environmental conservation and management efforts (both aquatic and terrestrial) through collaboration with local non-governmental organizations and government agencies. Moses holds a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Aquaculture. His commitment to agricultural, fisheries, and livestock development stems from his concern about the high poverty levels that are so prevalent in rural areas. He is dedicated to contributing to the implementation, interpretation, and evaluation of policies that will improve agricultural, fisheries, and livestock production through sustainable practices. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Moses plans to use the knowledge gained to build the capacity of his current extension officers and to enhance the development of the fisheries and livestock sectors in Zambezi without endangering the natural environment. He also plans to collaborate with local organizations and private individuals who are actively involved in those sectors.
Samuel Chimowa, Malawi
Samuel Macdonald Chimowa has more than three years of experience in environmental and natural resources management. Currently, Samuel is an environmental district officer at the Salima District Council in Malawi. In this position, he is responsible for district environmental planning, district environmental education and outreach programs, environmental and social impact assessments, and coordination of climate change adaptation and mitigation projects. He is also a co-founder of the Young Environmental Champions’ Initiative, which builds capacity and mobilizes resources for community environmental programs among young people. Samuel holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Technology, and is committed to strengthening environmental and natural resources governance for livelihoods and sustainable development. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Samuel plans to help community-based youth organizations create nature-based solutions to benefit the environment and support the livelihoods of people in their communities. He also intends to do consulting work in environmental and climate-resilient development for both local and international organizations, to help them craft strategies to accelerate sustainable and inclusive development in the face of climate change.
Amadou Diallo, Guinea
Amadou Bailo Diallo has more than eight years of professional experience teaching English, managing projects, and directing the campaign of an independent candidate during the 2018 local elections in Guinea. He holds a license in Teaching Education from the University of General Lansana Conte of Sonfonia-Conakry in Guinea. Amadou is currently a human resources administrator at Aggreko, where he maintains and manages personnel records and internal databases, revises company policies, and delivers presentations on human resources metrics. Previously, he was the administrative director at Gamma Concept. He is also the founder and president of the first Toastmasters International Club in Guinea, which offers an environment of exchange and capacity-building to help members reinforce their public speaking and leadership skills, fight against youth unemployment, and promote the English language in Guinea. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Amadou will strengthen his new non-governmental organization, For the Change, where he is working to train 1,500 people in civic education between 2020 and 2022.
Josephine Edward, Namibia
Josephine Joice Ndapewa Edward is a fisheries biologist at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Namibia. She is the only biologist studying and researching the early life stages of commercially and economically important fish species along the Namibian coastline. Josephine has a bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Namibia and a master’s degree in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology from the University of Western Cape in South Africa. Josephine is the founder of the Lady Marine consultancy firm, which provides marine and aquatic science information to a variety of clients. She also advocates for more female researchers in the male-dominated maritime industry and offers mentorship and supervision to young women. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she hopes to apply her newly-honed skills to her work in Namibia.
Juliette Lupon Dina Faye, Senegal
Juliette Faye has 12 years of experience in the medical field in Dakar, Senegal. She envisions everyone having access to quality healthcare regardless of financial obstacles. In partnership with a U.S. non-governmental organization, she has opened Keur Djiguein Yi, a health clinic for women and children that offers subsidized prenatal and postnatal care. Juliette is a member of Go Doc Go, a non-governmental organization that fights to prevent cervical cancer by offering screenings, raising awareness, and providing treatment campaigns. She has also been raising awareness about sexual and reproductive health, as well as vaccination campaigns, in the Tambacounda region. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Juliette plans to further her work helping women and children receive necessary healthcare.
Murtala Gariba, Ghana
Murtala Gariba has eight years of experience in group development and sustainability, community mobilization and participation, social accountability, inclusive service delivery, and technical assistance to decentralized local government entities. Murtala is a community development officer with the Department of Community Development in the Northern Region of Ghana. He has worked on various projects, such as the Ghana Environmental Management Project and Ghana Productive Safety Net Project. Murtala is also a senior social development officer serving as the head of the Department for Social Welfare and Community Development in the Chereponi District Assembly. Murtala holds a master’s degree in Development Management from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Technology from the University for Development Studies, and he is pursuing his Ph.D. in Innovation Communications. He also holds several professional certificates. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Murtala plans to be a changemaker and a role model for his community and country, and he aspires to help build a society where the poor become rich and the rich become comfortable through awareness and public information campaigns for development programs.
Frank Karigambe, South Africa
Frank Karigambe has more than eight years of experience in higher education. Frank is a learning innovator at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa and focuses on developing professional, academic, and social programs. He mentors students in creating and executing student-led programs and helps serve the academic and social needs of students in the university’s residence system. Frank has introduced a multilingual tutor program that helps connect students who speak the same first language as a form of community building. He is also a co-founder of The Pitch UCT, which is a first-of-its-kind student business competition within the student residential community. Frank mentors and coaches the Academic Representative Council in partnership with the UCT vice chancellor. Frank holds a bachelor’s degree in Politics and Public Policy Administration from the University of Cape Town and a postgraduate degree in Social Entrepreneurship and Religion. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Frank plans to collaborate with other Fellows and U.S. partners to direct intellectual capital developed through the entrepreneurial ecosystems at the university and to guide the establishment of businesses with an African footprint from the student start-ups that complete The Pitch UCT entrepreneurship program.
Sabelo Khoza, Eswatini
Sabelo Khoza has more than eight years of experience in community health. He is the regional HIV and AIDS coordinator for the Eswatini National AIDS Programme, focused on implementing HIV activities in the Lubombo Region and educating high school students on sexual and reproductive health. Sabelo is committed to ensuring that adolescent girls and young women in rural Eswatini have equal access to health services. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing Science with a specialization in Community Health and Midwifery. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Sabelo plans to initiate projects that will cater to the health needs of marginalized populations living on the outskirts of Eswatini.
Selamenesh Tsige Legas, Ethiopia
Selamenesh Tsige Legas is a consultant pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics and child health at the School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. She aspires to become the first developmental and behavioral pediatrics specialist in Ethiopia. She established the first neurodevelopment and behavioral pediatrics clinic at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital and works with children with disabilities. She is the founder and president of Gojo Accommodation and Temporary Shelter for patients in need. Gojo is a community-based non-governmental organization that helps vulnerable patients with cancer, disabilities, and chronic illnesses who need shelter, food, and transportation during their stay at government hospitals. Selamenesh has been recognized as an Ethiopian Woman of Excellence. Becoming a physician was her childhood dream, and Gojo is the result of her ambition to create new solutions to problems around her. She believes that she can make things happen no matter what. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Selamenesh will continue to expand her professional network and help the destitute in her community.
Boncana Maiga, Mali
Since his early childhood, Boncana Maiga has been committed to children's rights. He has built up six years of professional experience advocating in this field; first, as a campaign assistant, advocacy officer, and campaign coordinator for Save the Children in Mali, then as a consultant and communication and advocacy officer for Terre des hommes Lausanne. He coordinated two global campaigns on children's health and the Sustainable Development Goals, conducted the advocacy objectives of nine projects, trained more than 200 people in budget advocacy, and obtained the commitment of more than 25 municipalities to integrate dedicated budget lines for children’s needs into their development plans. Following his Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders experience, Boncana aims to introduce a new basis for the governance of children’s rights in Mali, and to influence not only how policies are developed but also how resources are allocated to meet children’s needs. He also wants to create a reference advocacy school to train a capable advocacy cohort, and to establish an office for research and advocacy related to the health, education, and protection of children.
Maria Mangueleze, Mozambique
Maria Mangueleze is the first woman in Mozambique to have earned a Ph.D. in Political Science. Maria has expertise in analyzing policies and social issues. She is a specialist in transparency and accountability, with more than 10 years of research experience in her field. Maria advocates for women’s leadership in politics. She has helped raise awareness of the need for more women in political leadership roles and has contributed to the increase in the number of women in Mozambique’s parliament, the national government, and the provincial governments and secretariats. Maria is a gender equity enthusiast and a researcher. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she intends to draw on her new skills and networks as she continues to advocate for women in leadership roles in Mozambique.
Kibuila Marcelo, Angola
Kibuila Marcelo has more than eight years of experience teaching English. Currently, Kibuila is a teacher at Clay-Pro Center in Luanda, Angola. At Clay-Pro, he engages students to use English-language skills and to practice morals and ethics to positively influence the community. Through this training, students get the tools they need to promptly respond to community issues. He is also coordinator of the Kizito-Anuarite movement, a religious association that teaches children to be good and virtuous citizens, deeply concerned with issues in their community. Kibuila holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the Instituto Superior de Relações Internacionais, the Angolan Foreign Affairs Ministry’s international relations institute. He is committed to working on behalf of the community, and he views it as an opportunity to leave the world a little better than he found it. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Kibuila plans to lead movements and projects that promote necessary and positive changes, focusing on education, youth empowerment, and the care of children.
Lydie Mungala Mukasekuru, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lydie Mungala Mukasekuru is an assistant registrar attaché for the High Court of Zimbabwe. She also currently works as a secretary general for AJEC, a youth-based organization, and volunteers with human rights organizations in the DRC and World Vision International. Lydie has a passion for researching peace and conflict resolution subjects; she holds a bachelor’s degree in Peace, Conflict and Governance, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Peace, Leadership and Conflict Resolution. She previously served as an international representative of students for the student representative council and is a strong interpreter and translator of English and French. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Lydie plans to apply her new skills and network to enhance the impact of her professional and volunteer work.
Diana Stella Nasike, Uganda
Diana Stella Nasike is a medical doctor with 10 years’ experience working in Uganda’s public, private, and non-profit health sectors. Driven to improve health practices, Diana uses her leadership, communication, teambuilding, advocacy, and creative problem-solving skills to achieve change in both her professional work and her work as a volunteer. She has been a youth leader at her church for the past 12 years and is Uganda’s networking and events chair at the Young African Leaders Initiative’s Regional Leadership Center in East Africa. She is also the Regional Alumni Council representative to the Transformation Fund Committee. Diana has a special interest in advocating for deaf young people and has worked to set up an advocacy campaign called "SautiSilence" that raises awareness and mobilizes support for deaf communities in Africa through strategic stakeholder engagement. A Chevening Scholarship Award winner, Diana is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Global Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Diana hopes to work with governments in Sub-Saharan Africa and international non-governmental organizations to develop more inclusive health policy and health security.
Rose Kwamboka Nyagwoka, Kenya
Rose Kwamboka Nyagwoka has more than 12 years of experience in disability-inclusive development. Currently, Rose is a disability adviser at Leonard Cheshire, an international non-governmental organization, where she provides technical expertise and guidance on the inclusion of people with disabilities. Rose has in-depth experience in program and grant management, and conducts mentorship programs in her Kenyan community on a volunteer basis. She holds a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship Development from the University of Nairobi. As a person with a disability, Rose is committed to creating awareness about disability inclusion. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she plans to focus on strengthening the capacity of parents of children with disabilities and to bring the wealth of knowledge she acquires to Leonard Cheshire’s disability inclusion programs.
Donat N. Mugenga, Rwanda
Donat N. Mugenga has experience in transformational change, policy design, operations, and human resources (HR) management. Currently, Donat is the director of recruitment at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, where he helps prepare the next generation of leaders in conservation agriculture. Previously, he served as the administration and HR manager at Agaciro Development Fund, and as a quality development officer at the Higher Education Council. Donat is the founder of the Africa Academy for Careers and a youth mentor for the Global Give Back Circle and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. A consultant translator, he sits on the Advisory Board of the Rwanda Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters and was recognized by Google for participating in the first translation of Google web search in Kinyarwanda. Donat holds a Master of Business Administration from the Université Libre de Kigali, a postgraduate diploma in Educational Planning and Policy from the Open University of Tanzania, a Bachelor of Translation from the National University of Rwanda, and a Master of Laws from the University of South Wales. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Donat plans to empower talented youth through education and inspiration.
Philip Odongo, Kenya
Philip Odongo is a deaf rights activist and a teacher who is passionate about education and disability inclusion in all aspects of society. Currently, he is a teacher at Fr. Ouderaa Special Secondary School for the Deaf in Nyang'oma, Kenya. Philip has previously served as a primary Kenyan Sign Language facilitator at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Kenya. He is an advocate for the Kenyan Sign Language Bill 2021, which fights for inclusion of the deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind community and seeks to eliminate discrimination in communication, employment, information, education, and across all sectors of society. Philip is also the co-founder of the Disability Mainstreaming club at JOOUST and advocates for sponsorship of deaf children in education, technical training, and employment. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Philip aspires to continue advocating for the disabled community in all aspects of society by working with them to build their confidence and recognize their potential.
Isaac Olufadewa, Nigeria
Isaac Olufadewa is a medical doctor, policy advocate, social entrepreneur, and researcher with more than seven years of leadership experience in the healthcare, civil society, and public policy sectors. He has worked with the U.S.-based International Youth Alliance for Family Planning, Australia-based Global Youth Mental Health Awareness, and others. Isaac holds a master’s degree in Reproductive Health and has expertise in sexual and reproductive health and rights, noncommunicable diseases, and the mental health of young people. He is the founder and executive director of the Slum and Rural Health Initiative, a non-profit organization that takes quality healthcare to historically marginalized groups in Nigeria. He is also currently an international expert at the Lancet COVID-19 Commission and the managing ambassador of the African and Middle East region for One Young World. Isaac is an adept researcher and policy analyst with more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and conference abstracts, and the recipient of several awards, scholarships, and grants from organizations such as the African Union Commission, Reckitt Benckiser, and Harvard Global Health Institute. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Isaac plans to consult for international organizations or government agencies and further his postgraduate education.
Nwabisa Plaatjie, South Africa
Nwabisa Plaatjie is a theater-maker and producer with five years’ experience in the field. In 2017, she was awarded the Theatre Arts Emerging Theatre Directors Bursary and was the first recipient of the Baxter Theatre Centre PlayLab residency. Nwabisa was also a nominee for Best New Director in the 2018 Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards and was the Baxter Theatre Centre’s 2018 Young Artist of the Year. Nwabisa received her master’s degree in Theatre and Performance at the Centre for Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies. She directed the South African premieres of Wine in the Wilderness and Florence by American playwright Alice Childress and represented South Africa at the Directors in TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) International Exchange in Berlin. Her productions Aha! and 23 Years, a Month, and 7 Days have toured locally and internationally. Currently, Nwabisa is a trustee for the Denis Goldberg House of Hope and coordinates and curates the Baxter Theatre Centre’s Masambe Theatre. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Nwabisa plans to develop the entrepreneurial capacity of theater and dance artists in her community by creating and sharing resilience modules focusing on navigating theater careers in uncertain times.
Onor-Obassi Egim Tawo, Nigeria
Onor-Obassi Egim Tawo has more than five years of experience in legal practice in Nigeria. She is the founder and chief executive officer of OKares Sickle Cell Foundation, which works to build a sickle-cell-free Nigeria. The foundation promotes the Know Your Genotype campaign and Survive It, a support group for people with sickle cell disorders. Onor-Obassi is the author of Rate Your Pain, written to further the goals and objectives of the foundation. She previously worked as the executive manager for training at Calabar Hospitality House, as a volunteer case manager and logistic assistant at FHI 360, and as a legal practitioner. Onor-Obassi holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Calabar and from the Nigerian Law School and aspires to be a judge. She is committed to reducing the high rate of children born with sickle cell disorders in Nigeria and ensuring that those with the disorder get the support they need. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Onor-Obassi plans to leverage the knowledge, skills, and opportunities gained to further her work at OKares Sickle Cell Foundation and her legal career.
Yasin Mohammed Yasin, Ethiopia
Yasin Mohammed Yasin has more than three years of experience in pediatrics and is a child health expert. Currently, Yasin is a pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics and child health at Wachemo University Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Teaching Hospital, where he teaches and mentors medical students and interns, treats sick children, and advocates for children’s health. He has trained medical personnel in essential newborn care and basic neonatal care. He serves as department head and performs diagnostic echocardiography. Yasin holds a Doctor of Medicine from Mekelle University and a specialty degree in Pediatrics and Child Health from Addis Ababa University. Yasin is committed to improving child and neonatal health in Ethiopia because, despite increased efforts, Ethiopia still ranks among the highest in child and neonatal morbidity and mortality. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Yasin plans to devise strategies to improve childcare by encouraging the public to seek healthcare and avoid harmful traditional practices. He hopes to improve health practices, including promoting vaccination and optimal nutrition, by developing networks, writing and implementing operational research, and engaging in community education.
