Sankore Fellowship 2020 for Young Africans

Published: 28 Feb 2020 1,189 views

In ensuring that African leaders are conscious about creating such legacies that provide long term benefits to young people, the AfroChampions Initiative has created a program called the “Sankore Program”.

Sankore Fellowship for young Africans

Application Deadline	May 4, 2020
Funding Type	Fully Funded
Type	Fellowship
Sponsor	Sankore Program
Gender	Men and Women

Benefits of Sankore Fellowship for young Africans

Fellows will have the opportunity to work with renowned and respected African presidents in a manner coordinated by the AfroChampions Initiative to promote synergies among the Caravan-related projects of the selected leaders.

Selected Fellows will typically spend a year working as assistants to presidents, vice presidents, senior government staff, cabinet secretaries and other top-ranking government officials but with an exclusive focus on harnessing practical opportunities arising from the policy development and national budgeting process to drive the success of field incubators for youth-led microenterprises and grassroots interventions, particularly those sponsored through Caravan.

Fellows also will participate in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions with leaders from the private and public sectors, and trips to study government policy in action both domestically and internationally. Fellowships are awarded on a strictly meritocratic basis. The Sankore Fellowship activities include:

1. PRESIDENTIAL INTIATIVE: Scholars will have the opportunity to work with African presidents’ staff to develop projects that will be considered legacy projects for African president to lead after their term of office has ended. Participants will develop project concept notes, budget and implementation strategies for identified projects.
2. SHADOWING: Scholars will have the opportunity to follow and observe the selected president’s daily activities and political trips while executing tasks such as taking briefing notes, drafting memos for Staffing and presidential advisors, shuttling between cabinet meetings, attending presidential briefing sessions and field excursions. This gives participants a peep into the cockpit, of the African presidents, as a co-pilot in a real environment which not many can experience throughout their professional life.
3. VIDEO CONFERENCING: Participants shall engage in monthly videoconferencing with other participants working in the different presidential palaces to learn from each other and identify opportunities for collaboration on presidential projects.
4. ANNUAL GATHERING: Annual in-person gatherings for fellows to learn skills building around leadership development, communications, public policy and project management. Scholars will have the opportunity to present project developed at the annual AfroChampions Summit.
5. BLOGGING: Participants will have the opportunity to write short reflection blogposts about their experience and leadership lessons learnt from working with the African presidents.
6. EDUCATIONAL TRAINING: Scholars will take tailored online courses focused on four core leadership skills: Vision and Communication, Decision Making, Persuasion and Influence, and Strategic Partnerships and project management.

Requirements for Sankore Fellowship for young Africans

1. Each successful scholar shall be between the ages of 25 and 39 at the time of applying.
2. Successful scholars must have 5-15 years of working experience.
3. Experience in visioning and/or the research/analytical work essential for designing, executing and managing complex projects.
4. Fluent in oral and written English. Ability to communicate in French and/or Portuguese shall offer candidates a strong advantage.
5. Fellow must be African and currently living in Africa at the time of the application or temporarily based outside Africa for educational, business or professional reasons.
6. Be willing to dedicate 12 months of his/her time to this fellowship and its activities and commit to focus solely on fellowship activities during the fellowship duration.

Application Deadline

May 4, 2020

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Sankore Program on docs.google.com to apply