Mandela Washington Fellowship program YALI group pose outside the UT Main building

Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

We have hosted the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (MWF YAL) since its inception in 2014. This intensive Leadership in Business Institute, in collaboration with The McCombs School of Business, delivers six weeks of academic coursework, leadership training, community engagement, networking, mentoring, and cultural exchange. The program’s goals are to spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across the African continent.

In summer of 2024, we had the honor of celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Fellowship and our partnership with it. In the past 10 years, we have hosted 272 Fellows from 44 countries in Africa including:

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 Texas at Austin is a sub-grantee of IREX and is implementing a Leadership Institute as a part of the Fellowship.

AngolaBeninBotswanaBurkina Faso
BurundiCabo VerdeCameroonCentral African Republic
ChadCote d'IvoireDemocratic Republic of the CongoEquatorial Guinea
EswatiniEthiopiaGabonThe Gambia
GhanaGuineaKenyaLesotho
LiberiaMadagascarMalawiMali
MauritaniaMauritiusMozambiqueNamibia
NigerNigeriaRepublic of the CongoRwanda
Sao Tome and PrincipeSenegalSeychellesSierrra Leone
South AfricaSouth SudanSudanTanzania
TogoUgandaZambiaZimbabwe

Mandela Washington Fellowship Celebrates 10 Years

In 2024, the Mandela Washington Fellowship celebrated it's 10th anniversary. UT Austin is proud to be a flagship partner and has hosted the program since its inception. Learn more about the Fellowship and it's ongoing impact in this video.
Omar Baldeh, 2024 Mandela Washington Fellow from Gambia
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a meticulously designed academic leadership program featuring passionate instructors, exposure to high-level networking, and curated excursions tailored to maximize cultural exposure and exploration around the vibrant city of Austin. The Mandela Washington fellowship at UT Austin is a rich transformational summer experience like no other. Omar Baldeh, 2024 Mandela Washington Fellow from The Gambia
Kevin Przybocki, Focus Project Coach for Mandela Washington, 2023-24
I was impressed by [the Fellow’s] mission and purpose. His purpose was beyond running a profitable business. He really wanted to have a positive impact on the children in Tanzania. Kevin Przybocki, Focus Project Coach, 2023-24