With Inputs Courtesy of CameroonWatch
The National President of the National Union
for Democracy and Progress, NUDP, Ndansi Elvis and 24 other young enterprising Cameroonians
will be received by United States President, Barrack Obama. They were selected to take part in the 2016 edition of the Young African
leaders’ initiative, YALI, an initiative of US President, Barack Obama, otherwise
known as the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African leaders. The
delegation headed by Ndansi Elvis left the country today June 17, 2016 for a six-week sojourn in
different cities across America that will take them to the White House.
It
worth mentioning that Ndansi Elvis is also founder and ExecutiveDirector of Unite
for Health Foundation, a not-for-profit making organization that provide health
services to the underserved population with branches in Yaounde and Bamenda. To Ndansi Elvis Nukam, the fellowship program
will enhance his skills as an entrepreneur and astute young politician. Harping on the importance of
the fellowship program, he emphasized that “Obama’s idea behind YALI is to
bring forth a new generation of African leaders who believe in themselves and
who can be able to provide solutions to African problems” he concluded.
What You
Need to Know About YALI
The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African
Leaders which began in 2014 is the flagship program of President Obama’s Young
African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that empowers young people through academic
coursework, leadership training, and networking.
In 2016, the Fellowship will provide 1,000
outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone
their skills at a U.S. higher education institution with support for
professional development after they return home.
The Fellows, who are between the ages of 25 and 35,
have established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive
change in their organizations, institutions, communities, and countries. In
2015, Fellows represented all 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Fifty percent
of Fellows were women; and for 76 percent of Fellows, it was their first
experience spending substantial time in the United States.
To note that Each Mandela Washington Fellow
takes part in a six-week academic and leadership Institute at a U.S. university
or college in one of three tracks: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic
Leadership, or Public Management.
Upon returning to their home countries, YALI
organisers say, Fellows are expected to continue to build the skills they have
developed during their time in the United States through support from U.S.
embassies, four Regional Leadership Centers, the YALI Network, and customized
programming from USAID and affiliated partners.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
