Yaoundé, Cameroon — The U.S. Embassy, on May 12th, 2022, announced that 22 young Cameroonian leaders will travel to the United States in June 2022 to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) Program. Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the MWF is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), a signature effort by the U.S. government to invest in young African leaders. This year, 700 young African leaders will participate in the MWF, a six-week academic and professional exchange in the United States.
Applauding fellows on their achievement, Ambassador Christopher J. Lamora said: “As Mandela Washington Fellows, you will represent Cameroon, with the opportunity to share your perspectives and to teach Americans about your great country. I am confident that you will be excellent cultural ambassadors, as emerging leaders from such a dynamic and vibrant country full of potential.”
Cameroon’s 2022 MWF cohort consists of 17 young people hailing from Bamenda, Buea, Douala, Foumban, Kousseri, Limbe, Maroua, Sa’a, and Yaounde. Participants’ professional backgrounds include public health, gender advocacy, journalism, filmmaking, social entrepreneurship, software and electrical engineering, environmental protection, music, and business. Five fellows from the 2021 MWF cohort will participate in a three-week Alumni Enrichment Institute Program in the United States to complement the leadership development and academic sessions from their 2021 virtual program.
Since 2014, 124 Cameroonians have participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship and have made tremendous contributions to Cameroon after returning from the program. For more information on U.S. educational and exchange opportunities, including the Mandela Washington Fellowship program, please visit https://cm.usembassy.gov/education/.