Twenty-five students from The Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, which is the new flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), visited the Clinton School today. The fellows were meeting with professionals, professors, and peers, learning about the Clinton School’s program, and experiencing Arkansas culture by touring the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library and Central High School, among other activities.
President Obama launched YALI in 2010 to support young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa. Five hundred participants were selected from all over Africa to participate in a training program that will focus in one of three areas: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Leadership, and Public Management.
The University of Arkansas is hosting 25 participants in the Public Management sector. The Program will culminate with a summit of all 500 fellows in Washington, D.C. at the end of July.
The goal of the program is to give the young leaders practical leadership training in Public Management and guidance tailored to their area of expertise that they can take back and apply in their home country. Furthermore, the participants will network with other prestigious African leaders who are at the forefront of change and innovation in their sectors.
The students spent the day meeting with the president of the University of Arkansas System, Dr. Donald R. Bobbitt, dean of the Clinton School, Skip Rutherford, professors, other students, and professional peers, discussing best practices, addressing cultural challenges, and exchanging ideas in their respective fields.
The 25 Washington Fellows visiting the University of Arkansas are professionals and scholars (ages 25-35) from Ghana, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Senegal, Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cape Verde, Cameroon, and Benin. Their professional backgrounds include public management, education, public health, law, human rights, business, civil service, and natural resource management. Other fields of interest include women’s rights, youth empowerment, employment strategies, and non-profit management.