MONROVIA — Seventeen of Liberia’s most promising young leaders have returned from the United States after completing the highly competitive Mandela Washington Fellowship, a flagship initiative of the U.S. government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The six-week program, hosted at top U.S. universities, offered intensive training in Business & Entrepreneurship, Civic Leadership, and Public Management—preparing this new generation to lead innovation and sustainable development at home.
During their fellowship, the Liberian cohort engaged in hands-on workshops, received mentorship from industry experts, and built strategic networks with peers and professionals across Africa and the United States. Now back in Liberia, these leaders are poised to launch ventures, improve public service delivery, and lead community-based projects that create jobs and strengthen social institutions.
Since 2014, nearly 6,500 young African leaders have participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship, forming a powerful alumni network dedicated to continental progress. Chargé d’Affaires Joseph Zadrozny congratulated the Fellows, noting that their return aligns with a revitalized U.S. focus on trade, investment, and partnership in Africa. “This fellowship reflects America’s commitment to connecting our expertise with global opportunities,” he said. “These leaders are now ambassadors of innovation and progress.”
The U.S. Embassy expressed strong confidence that the Fellows will play pivotal roles in Liberia’s development—translating their training into tangible projects that benefit local communities and reinforce the nation’s growing influence in the region.
