Eleven individuals from Sierra Leone have been selected to participate in the 2023 Nelson Mandela Washington Fellowship program, serving as Young African Leaders in the United States. This program, which is part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), represents the U.S.'s commitment to investing in the future of Africa.
The selected Sierra Leonean participants are Ebunoluwa Tengbe, Jeremiah Thoronka, Hajaratu Sama, Ahmed Sheriff, Ambalieu Barrie, Janet Kallon, Rugiatu Kanu, Alex Nallo Junior, Bashiru Koroma, Florence Roberts, Jeneba Mary-Magdalene Saidu. They will join 700 other leaders from various African nations, who will also be attending the program. These participants will be hosted by 28 educational institutions in 20 states and the District of Columbia, where they will engage in leadership institutes.
These institutes, lasting for a period of six weeks, will be held at college and university campuses throughout the United States. They will provide comprehensive support for the Fellows' leadership development through academic study, workshops, mentoring, networking opportunities with U.S. leaders, and collaborations with members of the local community.