By Esther Nakkazi and Agencies;
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will invest $38 million towards four regional Leadership Centres based in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa that will train thousands of Africa’s emerging leaders and foster connections, creativity, and collaboration in sectors critical to Africa’s growth and development.
The MasterCard Foundation, a premier partner in this investment committed $10 million over a five year period.
President Barack Obama made this announcement today, 28th July, at a town hall event for 500 Mandela Washington Fellows, a program for distinguished African youth that is part of the President’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
YALI Fellows and others are in Washington as part of the lead-up to the first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, a three-day event hosted by President Obama to welcome leaders from across the African continent to the Nation’s Capital.
Each of these centers will be run as a public-private partnership, capitalizing on the ingenuity and dynamism of the private sector and the programmatic and educational resources of USAID. Nine private sector partners and foundations are joining USAID in supporting the YALI effort.
Rajiv Shah the USAID Administrator said while in meetings with young leaders across Africa, he has witnessed firsthand the incredible energy and creativity among youth that has powered and shaped progress throughout the centuries.
"By connecting these bright leaders to the world's innovation highways, President Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative will empower a new generation to transform the continent and their communities,” said Shah.
The Centers will focus on engaging leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 from a variety of backgrounds and a diversity of experience and providing accessible leadership training, incubating organizations and entrepreneurship, and supporting professional connections among African leaders.
Reeta Roy, President and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation, said, “The MasterCard Foundation is delighted to partner with USAID on the next stage of the Young African Leaders Initiative. YALI offers great promise for talented young men and women of Africa, and includes critical education, entrepreneurship and leadership development opportunities. We are proud to invest in this next generation of African leaders who are poised to drive change in their communities, countries and across the continent.”
The Summit, the largest event any U.S. President has held with African heads of state and government, will build on the President’s trip to Africa in the summer of 2013 and it will strengthen ties between the United States and one of the world’s most dynamic and fastest growing regions.
The theme of the Summit is "Investing in the Next Generation." Focusing on the next generation is at the core of a government’s responsibility and work, and this Summit is an opportunity to discuss ways of stimulating growth, unlocking opportunities, and creating an enabling environment for the next generation.
USAID seeks to end extreme poverty by investing in Africa’s greatest resource—its people—to sustain and further development, opportunity, and human rights for this and future generations. Across the continent, we are implementing major initiatives to improve health, food security, electricity access, trade, and resilience that are underpinned by commitments to good governance, education, gender equity, and the environment. For more information, visit www.usaid.gov/africa
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The MasterCard Foundation, a premier partner in this investment committed $10 million over a five year period.
President Barack Obama made this announcement today, 28th July, at a town hall event for 500 Mandela Washington Fellows, a program for distinguished African youth that is part of the President’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
YALI Fellows and others are in Washington as part of the lead-up to the first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, a three-day event hosted by President Obama to welcome leaders from across the African continent to the Nation’s Capital.
Each of these centers will be run as a public-private partnership, capitalizing on the ingenuity and dynamism of the private sector and the programmatic and educational resources of USAID. Nine private sector partners and foundations are joining USAID in supporting the YALI effort.
Rajiv Shah the USAID Administrator said while in meetings with young leaders across Africa, he has witnessed firsthand the incredible energy and creativity among youth that has powered and shaped progress throughout the centuries.
"By connecting these bright leaders to the world's innovation highways, President Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative will empower a new generation to transform the continent and their communities,” said Shah.
The Centers will focus on engaging leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 from a variety of backgrounds and a diversity of experience and providing accessible leadership training, incubating organizations and entrepreneurship, and supporting professional connections among African leaders.
Reeta Roy, President and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation, said, “The MasterCard Foundation is delighted to partner with USAID on the next stage of the Young African Leaders Initiative. YALI offers great promise for talented young men and women of Africa, and includes critical education, entrepreneurship and leadership development opportunities. We are proud to invest in this next generation of African leaders who are poised to drive change in their communities, countries and across the continent.”
The Summit, the largest event any U.S. President has held with African heads of state and government, will build on the President’s trip to Africa in the summer of 2013 and it will strengthen ties between the United States and one of the world’s most dynamic and fastest growing regions.
The theme of the Summit is "Investing in the Next Generation." Focusing on the next generation is at the core of a government’s responsibility and work, and this Summit is an opportunity to discuss ways of stimulating growth, unlocking opportunities, and creating an enabling environment for the next generation.
USAID seeks to end extreme poverty by investing in Africa’s greatest resource—its people—to sustain and further development, opportunity, and human rights for this and future generations. Across the continent, we are implementing major initiatives to improve health, food security, electricity access, trade, and resilience that are underpinned by commitments to good governance, education, gender equity, and the environment. For more information, visit www.usaid.gov/africa
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