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TRANSCRIPT
Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders
Period: January 1, 2018-March 31, 2018
For Submission to: USAID/Washington
Cooperative Agreement Number: AID-OAA-LA-14-00004
Leader Cooperative Agreement Award Number: DFD-A-00-09-00141-00
Grantee: Counterpart International Sub-Awardee: IREX
TO: Mary Kagunyi-Levasseur, Program Manager, Africa, Counterpart International [email protected]
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Table of Contents
A. Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
B. Progress and Accomplishments……………………………………………………………………………………………………………5
I. Program Updates……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5
1. Structured Networking Opportunities within the MWF Community…………………………..9
2. Access & Introduction to External Networks that Support Fellows’ Individual Goals..11
3. Practical Learning Opportunities……………………………………………………………………… ………20
4. Tailored Leadership Development…………………………………………………………………………….27
II. Administrative Updates……………………………………………………………………………………………..............31
C. Communications………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..34
D. Monitoring and Evaluation………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..35
E. Lessons Learned…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………39
F. Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting……………………………………………………………………………………………….40
G. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..41
H. Attachments……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..41
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LDP
LUANAR
Leadership Development Plan
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MWF
MWFAAN
NOPE
CNL
OSU
PoC
RAB
Mandela Washington Fellowship
Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria
National Organization for Peer Educators
Networking and Continued Learning
Oklahoma State University
Points of Contact
Regional Advisory Board
STG
SDG
SMWLagos
STEM
USADF
Speaker Travel Grant
Sustainable Development Goal
Social Media Week Lagos
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
United States African Development Foundation
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USG United States Government
VSO
WASH
Voluntary Service Overseas
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
WACSI West Africa Civil Society Institute
YALI Young African Leaders Initiative
The Trust Southern African Trust
Acronyms
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IREX is a global development and education organization providing thought leadership and innovative
programs to promote positive lasting change globally. IREX embraces a people-focused approach to
development that invests in human potential and the conditions that help people to thrive. We work with
partners around the world to promote more just, prosperous, and inclusive societies by engaging and
empowering youth, cultivating leaders at all levels of society, strengthening institutions, and expanding
access to quality education and information.
As part of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), USAID’s Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF)
builds the skills of young African leaders to improve the accountability and transparency of government,
start and grow businesses, and serve their communities. The program supports the Fellows as they
develop the leadership skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to become more active and constructive
members of society. It achieves this through Leadership Development Plans that the Fellows complete
and post online for comment, professional practicums in Africa that provide the Fellows with practical
experience, and individualized mentor matches that allow the Fellows to further develop their identities
as leaders. The program also helps the Fellows establish broad and enduring networks to support, sustain,
and multiply the impact of the MWF programming. It achieves this Regional Advisory Boards comprised
of Fellows who communicate regularly with their peers and provide USAID and IREX with feedback, the
Continental Conference that allows Fellows to network with one another, Speaker Travel Grants that
elevate Fellows’ voices on the world stage, and Collaboration Fund Grants that enable Fellows to jointly
execute a project, business, or learning opportunity.
To support and enhance these activities, IREX ensures the empowerment and inclusion of women, the
disabled, LGBTIQ individuals, and other marginalized youth. It also emphasizes the participation of the
Fellows in the creation and development of programming so as to be fully responsive to their needs and
interests, and establishes significant partnerships with the private sector to leverage resources, increase
impact, and enhance sustainability of planned activities.
This quarterly report covers all program achievements and activities from January 1, 2018 to March 31,
2018. Since the last quarterly report, IREX made significant progress towards achieving planned targets.
The program goal is to build the skills of young African leaders to improve the accountability and
transparency of government, start and grow businesses, and serve their communities. This quarter, IREX
continued to match Fellows with professional practicums and mentors, receiving 139 applications for
professional practicums and finalizing 33 mentorships. IREX continued to award 2017 Fellows with
Speaker Travel Grants, funding five new speaking opportunities and supported 14 RAB-facilitated
Community of Practice discussions. In addition, IREX held its second in-person RAB meeting in
Johannesburg, South Africa from February 12-13, 2018.
A. Executive Summary
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Regional Advisory Boards
During Quarter 16, IREX convened the second and final in-person meeting for the 2017 Regional Advisory
Board (RAB) in Johannesburg, South Africa on February 12 – 13, 2018. The primary focus of the meeting
was planning for the upcoming Continental Conference, the progress of the Communities of Practice (CoP)
to inform the Conference content, and assessing the functioning of the RAB and problem-solving
solutions.
The three Continental Communities of Practice—which focused on peacebuilding, education, and
democracy promotion—took place before the meeting. Through the Continental CoPs, RAB members
identified tangible action points that are driving conference planning and implementation. For example,
the CoP entitled Democracy in Africa proposed drafting a paper promoting ways in which the Fellow
community can promote democracy across the continent. During the Conference, Fellows plan to
workshop the paper further to prepare it for distribution. During the CoP entitled How Can Fellows
Contribute to Peace Building and Tolerance Across the Continent?, the RAB felt it was necessary and
A. Progress and Accomplishments
I. Program Updates
2017 Mandela Washington Fellow Regional Advisory Board members pose for a photo at the second all-RAB meeting. The meeting was held February 12 – 13, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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important to showcase the work of Fellows in those fields at the conference. IREX encouraged the RAB
to identify solutions that would emphasize the skills and resources available within the Fellow community.
The RAB developed the theme and objectives of the conference during the meeting, which were
subsequently refined by IREX. In addition to developing the conference theme and objectives, the RAB
committed to producing videos that showcase the innovative projects of Fellows across the Continent and
to the development of a Fellow database to be used as a collaboration tool. The RAB expressed that they
would like both initiatives to become available to the wider Fellow community following the conference.
Of the 30 RAB members, six were unable to make the meeting due to conflicting work schedules to
inability to travel to South Africa. All USAID Points of Contact (PoCs), five IREX staff, and four implementing
partner staff attended the meeting.
For the 2018 Spring Meetings Notes, please see Attachment 1.
Communities of Practice
Throughout Quarter 16, RAB members lead and facilitated three Continental COPs on peacebuilding,
innovation within education, and democracy. In addition to the Continental CoPs, 11 Regional CoPs also
took place. West Africa focused on improving girls’ education and enhancing women’s access to capital,
while Southern Africa discussed trade markets within the Fellow community, solutions for public and
private corruption, and youth unemployment. East Africa held six CoPs, with topics ranging from youth
empowerment and clean energy to regional trade. All CoPs proved central to defining the Continental
Conference theme: Energizing African youth to drive development through innovation and collaboration.
A detailed breakdown of the CoPs held during Quarter 16 can be found in the table below.
2017 RAB members pose with IREX and WACSI staff at the February 2018 all-RAB meeting.
2017 RAB members participate in a brainstorming session at the February 2018 all-RAB meeting.
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Quarter 16 Communities of Practice
Region Community of Practice Topic Date Platform # of Participants
Summary
Continental
How Can Fellows Contribute to Peace Building and Tolerance Across the Continent?
January 7
227
Fellows discussed the critical important of building education systems that value diversity and equal access to public services and opportunities. They committed to working towards a cross-cohort network of peace builders by creating a social media campaign to promote tolerance, design a Fellow led training on CVE for other Fellows, and creating a database of Fellows working in CVE.
Continental
How Can the Fellow Community Contribute to Increasing Innovation within Education to Enhance Learning and Promote Literacy in sub-Saharan Africa?
February 4
196
Nearly 200 Fellows convened on WhatsApp to brainstorm innovative ways to improve education across Africa. Fellows agreed on a need for curricula to be more competence based and focused on 21st century skills. They committed to sharing best practices in education within the Fellow community and consistently utilizing UNICEF’s definition of quality education.
Continental
Mandela Washington Fellows Contributing Towards a Democracy Being Defined in the African Context
February 4
83
True democracy includes strong institutions, government accountability, and proper checks and balances. True democracy in Africa respects Constitutions, empowers youth, and protects the rights of all individuals. The Fellows committed to sponsoring civic education programs, developing a YALI YouTube page to profile Fellows working in democracy, and promoting voting rights amongst youth. #OurAfricaOurDemocracy
West
Improving Access to Education for the Girl Child
January 14
32
To improve access to education for the girl child, governments must increase their investment in education and there must be more visibility for programs working to improve girls’ education. The Fellows agreed to promote a girls’ education movement across the Continent. #Education4HerInAfrica #YALIEducation4Her
West
Enhancing Women’s Entrepreneurial Skills and Improving Access to Capital
March 4
20
Across the Continent, there is a need to educate women on grant writing, fundraising techniques, and marketing strategies to improve women’s access to capital. Fellows committed to working locally to implement their ideas.
Southern
Promoting Trade Markets Within the Fellow Community
February 22
69
To promote trade markets within the Fellow community, individuals must take advantage of the digital tools available to them. The Fellows agreed that venture capital, and public and private pools of funds are needed. The group committed to identifying grassroots markets for commodities and creating a database for Fellow businesses, including information on entering different markets.
Southern
Solutions Towards an Efficient and Corruption Free African Public Service and Private Sector: How to Keep the Public and Private Sector Accountable
February 22
116
Fellows defined corruption in the African context and identified a need for strong systems of checks and balances, meaningful engagement with civil society to empower citizens to know their rights, and independent media to report and expose corruption through investigative journalism. Fellows in attendance shared the investigative journalism work they are doing, including one Fellow from Zambia who reports on public spending.
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Quarter 16 Communities of Practice
Region Community of Practice Topic Date Platform # of Participants
Summary
Southern
Tackling Youth Unemployment and Promoting Youth Economic Inclusion
March 14
83
Fellow attendees recognized vocational training as a valuable training that can upskill youth. In doing so, they committed to promoting a dual education system of both formal and vocational training. Fellow-driven initiatives were discussed, including Youth Achievers (Botswana), mHub (Malawi), and Unlimited Choices (Zambia). Fellows intend to build a framework for the Fellow community to hold entrepreneurship trainings and to engage with youth to assist them in managing their money and accessing finances.
East
How Can the Fellow Community Harness Advancements in Technology to Promote Fast Development in the Region?
January 12
89
Participants discussed ICT for finance, agriculture, and health. Mobile money has the potential to revolutionize businesses, modern technologies can solve agricultural challenges, and access to medical information on mobile devices can transform healthcare. Fellows decided to sensitize young people to embrace technology in everything they do, educate other Fellows in patenting, and develop an eco-system to promote intra-Fellow funding.
East
Youth Empowerment: What is Working and What is Not Working?
January 19
50
Fellows view youth as stakeholders, not beneficiaries. Thus, they must participate fully in decision making and policy design. Participants committed to strengthening country to country collaboration through networks.
East
Africa Funding Africa
January 20
46
Fellows want to develop a funding system for Africa, by Africa, increase awareness about Innovation Hubs, and facilitate strong business to business partnerships across the continent.
East
The Future of Cleaner Energy in East Africa: Opportunities and Challenges
January 26
70
CoP participants agreed that all citizens should have access to alternative sources of energy. To achieve this, the current power distribution model must devolve and energy policy must allow market entry for alternative energy sources. The Fellows committed to develop profiles of the cost-effective energy sources that Fellows have developed.
East
Promoting Regional Trade: How to Grow Africa from Within
February 2
39
Across sub-Saharan Africa, there is a need to develop solutions to existing trade barriers. Fellows expressed interest in developing an advocacy agenda so that Fellows can influence the trade environments in their countries.
East
Social Integration and Inclusion of Minority Groups: People with Disabilities and Women
February 9
57
Fellows agreed that there is a need to support the mainstreaming of communities that have been traditionally excluded from power structures, including minority groups, persons with disabilities, and women. The Fellows in attendance committed to developing a training on inclusive programs.
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Continental Conference For the past three years, the Fellowship hosted annual Regional Conferences in Ghana, Kenya, and South
Africa. This year, the year of Nelson Mandela’s centenary, the Fellowship will host one conference for all
Fellows. For the first time, Fellows from across sub-Saharan Africa will convene for a Continental
Conference.
The Continental Conference will be held on June 12 – 13, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa at the
Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Center. Fellows will arrive on the 11th and depart on the 14th.
Throughout the conference, there will be sector-specific pitch competitions, panel discussions, and
presentations. IREX has approached various high-level speakers and institutions to participate in the
conference, including Madame Graça Machel, USAID Trade and Investment Hub officials, and alumni of
the Fellowship.
The objectives of the inaugural Continental Conference are as diverse as the Fellows themselves, with a
targeted concentration on youth innovation and collaboration across the continent. The six conference
objectives are:
• To facilitate open and constructive dialogue among the Fellows where practical experience and
solutions are shared.
• To promote and consolidate youth engagement for transparency and integrity with the intention
of increasing good governance across Africa.
• To create a continental platform for Fellows to showcase their innovative products and services,
promoting collaboration across various sectors.
• To explore the Fellows’ role in enhancing practical learning and technology in education to meet
core employability skills for the 21st century.
• To promote awareness of the potential of tools within the energy, technology, and agriculture
sectors in spurring development.
• To inspire and empower Fellows in the advancement and encouragement of tolerance,
acceptance, and inclusion across all communities.
By the end of the conference, primary outcomes will include:
• Launch of the Mandela Washington Fellowship 2017 database, with a focus on areas of expertise,
to be used for Fellow networking and collaboration;
• Identification of the way forward for the Communities of Practice on tackling agreed action points;
and
• Compilation of short video profiles to educate others on the work being done by young African
leaders in various sectors.
Following the Conference, USAID and IREX will convene a one-day coordination meeting for Year 5, the
planning for which began this quarter. Regional and bilateral USAID missions and U.S. Embassy staff from
1. Structured Networking Opportunities within the MWF Community
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the respective regions are invited to stay an additional day after the Conference and participate in the
coordination meetings. Continental Conference and coordination meeting highlights will be included in
the next quarterly report.
Sub-Network Creation
In Quarter 16, IREX piloted the creation of sub-networks, groups of Fellows working in the same area of
expertise, to facilitate collaboration and cross-cohort engagement.
Women in Information Communications Technology | In Quarter 15, three Fellows who attended the
2017 eLearning Africa
conference on
Speaker Travel Grants
lead a webinar
entitled, “Women and
Girls in ICT.” In their
presentation, they
stated that women
and girls are
increasingly
empowered to join the tech force and bridge the gender digital divide. Many girls have taken up tech
oriented paths but, still, women face numerous challenges working in technology. There is a lack of
opportunity and a lack of available and shared information for women in technology. To tackle this issue,
2016 Fellow Patricia Ngoy from the Democratic Republic of the Congo proposed creating a sub-network
of female Mandela Washington Fellows in technology. With the support of IREX staff, Patricia created a
WhatsApp and Facebook group to connect with other female Fellows working in ICT. In the current
quarter, the group plans to host another webinar and brainstorm ways to get more Fellows involved.
Finance | In late January 2018, IREX created the Fellowship finance sub-network group, comprised of
individuals who have finance-related roles in their current jobs. The group includes microfinance
specialists, financial inclusion advocates, investment directors, and entrepreneurs. The purpose of this
sub-network is to enable Fellowship alumni to share relevant news, seek advice, ask for support in
promoting their ventures, and learn best practices from each other. Dancan Onyango, a 2017 Fellow from
Kenya, said the following about the group: “I find the financial inclusion networking group an extremely
useful resource that I always tap into. As a consultant on mobile financial services, my work spans across
many emerging markets in Africa. Previously, my work has been fraught with many challenges ranging
from market unfamiliarity to issues of logistics. It is always far from easy settling into a new country
especially for short term assignments. Thanks to the financial inclusion networking group, I have found
myself amid peers who are willing to share new perspectives and insights about the financial services
space in their countries, where the barriers are, and where providers are most active. I'm now more
excited about an upcoming assignment in Mozambique.” In Quarter 17, the group will explore ways,
including webinars and Twitter chats, to involve more Fellows in their work.
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Staff Networking and Partnership Outreach
IREX has used every opportunity when traveling within Africa to network with external institutions to
further partnerships, meet with USAID and other USG staff, and check in on Fellows.
January 2018 | VSO’s Project Officer for the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Lydia Opiyo traveled to
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on January 22 – 26, 2018 to explore partnership opportunities for practicum
placements, mentors for the Fellows, and conduct partnership health checks with existing IREX partners.
VSO facilitated meetings with the African Union, IGAD, DVentus Technologies, and VSO Ethiopia. Lydia
also met with seven Fellows during her time in Addis Ababa. Through the meeting with the African Union,
Lydia secured four practicum opportunities with the African Union and the African Union Advisory Board.
She also revived the relationship that IREX has with the Department of Citizen and Diaspora (CIDO) to
explore additional avenues in which Fellows can be engaged within the African Union.
Lydia also travelled to Johannesburg, South Africa for the RAB meeting and took advantage of the
opportunity to connect with current mentors of the 2017 cohort who live in South Africa. Lydia followed
up with mentors Jovi Chen and Henry Wanyama, who are currently virtually mentoring 2017 Fellows from
Sudan and Kenya, respectively. Both Jovi and Henry have been keen to engage Fellows and expressed
interest in mentoring additional Fellows in the Southern Africa region.
February 2018 | 2017 Fellow
Amani Karabu from Kenya
invited Abdul Agukoh, Program
Coordinator for IREX in East
Africa, to provide a keynote
speech at the 2nd Youth
Entrepreneurship Program
Initiative Conference held in
Mombasa on February 3rd,
2018. In his speech, Abdul
shared the ways in which IREX
engages with youth and
supports entrepreneurship
through the Mandela
Washington Fellowship. The
event was attended by the
YALI Regional Coordinator for
East Africa, George Khisa, and
2. Access and Introduction to External Networks that Support Fellows’ Individual Goals
Left to Right: Amadou Chicco (Guinea, 2014), Tabitha Florence (Kenya, 2017), Julie Munyi Ogwapit (Kenya, 2017), Amani Karabu (Kenya, 2017), Kevin Anungo (Kenya,
2017), Abdul Agukoh (IREX) and Mvera Kazungu (Kenya, 2017) during the meet up with Fellows in the coast region, Kenya February 2018.
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David Kamau, the Chief of Party at the YALI East Africa Regional Leadership Centre. A total of 70
participants attended the workshop. Abdul also met with both Fellowship alumni and current Fellows to
discuss get feedback on their follow-on experience and provide support accessing interventions. The
Fellows agreed to keep more in touch and share their success stories with IREX. Abdul also held
partnership discussions with the Kenya Ports Authority, specifically about hosting Fellows for practicums.
February 2018 | The US African
Development Foundation (USADF)
invited Mercy Githanji, IREX East Africa
Regional Manager and Abdul Agukoh,
Program Coordinator, to attend the
Venture Showcase at the
Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.
During this session, six entrepreneurs,
including 2017 Fellows and Fellowship
alumni, showcased their ventures to a
panel of judges and investment firms.
IREX reconnected and engaged with this
innovative group of entrepreneurs
including: 2016 Fellows Taita Ngetich
and Wes Owiti from Kenya, 2014 Fellow
Hope Mwanake from Kenya, 2015 Fellow Steve Zita from DRC, 2016 Fellow Brenda Katwesigye from
Uganda, 2017 Fellow Amani Katana from Kenya, 2014 Fellow Adepeju Jayeoba from Nigeria, 2016 Fellow
Hellen Dausen from Tanzania, 2014 Fellow Andrew Amara from Uganda, and 2016 Fellow Immanuel
Charles from Nigeria. During this meeting, Steve Zita volunteered to be a judge at the Continental
Conference pitch competition. He also tentatively agreed to fund a cash prize for the pitch competition
when he learned that one of the topics at the conference will be on Fellows funding Fellows.
Networking and Continued Learning Opportunities
January 2018 | IREX staff Jackie Jena, Corporate and
Private Partnerships Manager, and Marcia Small, Acting
Deputy Chief of Party, visited Harare, Zimbabwe, where
they conducted a focus group with Fellows from across
cohorts and tracks. IREX facilitated a discussion on their
post- U.S. experience and the challenges that they face
as youth in Zimbabwe. Seven Fellows attended the
event. Fellows highlighted the need for youth in
Zimbabwe to unite to change the narrative of the nation.
The Fellows noted that Fellowship cohorts are currently
very segregated. The Fellows hope to change this,
stating the importance of interacting with each other
Right to Left: Taita Ngetich and Wes Owiti (Kenya, 2016), Hope Mwanake (Kenya, 2014), Emile Uwezowamungu (Burundi, 2016), Amani Katana (Kenya 2017), Brenda Katwesigye (Uganda, 2016), Steve Zita (DRC,2015), Adepeju
Jayeoba (Nigeria, 2014)
IREX staff members Jackie Jena and Marcia Small conduct a
focus group with Fellows in Zimbabwe. The discussion focused
on their Fellowship experience after they returned from the US.
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and taking advantage of the strong Fellowship network that exists. IREX encouraged the Fellows to start
a country Fellowship Alumni Chapter, an idea they were perceptive to. To facilitate this, IREX connected
the Fellows from Zimbabwe to MWF Alumni Associations that have already been established successfully
by Fellow alumni.
February 2018 | Fellows had an engaging
session with Norman Moyo, CEO of Econet on
Monday February 26, 2018 at the Sea Cliff
Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Norman
Moyo took time to introduce the Fellows to
Econet and his personal ventures outside
Econet, Cumii and Helios. Norman described
how his companies are maximizing on
information technology and the demand that
lies within the African commercial scale.
Fellows present included Patrick Mboki,
Jacqueline Lawrence, Hyasintha Ntuyekho,
Margaret Simalenga and Dominic
Mwakifulefule. The Fellows shared their
businesses and Mr. Moyo provided them
with entrepreneurial advice and skills to improve their businesses within their environment
Fellows also had the opportunity to ask questions. Jacqueline asked questions related to public-private
partnerships and expansion strategies, while Margaret and Hyasintha had questions on corporate social
responsibility within their businesses. The highlight of the session was the way in which the Fellows
committed to building alliances with Mr. Moyo. Mr. Moyo also enjoyed the session, and committed to
mentoring the Fellows for 30 minutes each month.
Left to Right: Hyasintha Ntuyekho (2015), Margareth Simalenga (2017), Mr. Norman Moyo of Econet, Jacqueline Lawrence, Dominic
Mwakifulefule and Patrick Mwakifulefule (2017) during the coaching session at the Sea Cliff Hotel, Dar es Salaam on February 26, 2018.
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February 2018 | All-star Mandela Washington Fellowship mentor Philip Waweru led a virtual discussion
for 20 individuals, including Fellows and mentors, on Wednesday, February 28, 2018. The webinar, an
opportunity that was identified by IREX Kenya and facilitated by IREX DC, focused on the benefits of
building mentoring relationships. Philip discussed the various kinds of mentoring that exists, the
challenges associated with mentoring, and the numerous ways in which he has personally benefited from
mentoring Mandela Washington Fellows. Phillip has mentored two Fellows, Eric Amunga and Maureen
Changawa. His organization, the National Organization for Peer Educators (NOPE), has hosted four Fellows
for practicums. “I believe in being genuinely committed to the mentee’s goals,” said Phillip. “This way, I
am able to identify where they want to go and I am able to guide them through how to navigate their
different challenges.”
Mentor Philip Waweru’s webinar, held on Oba, encouraged attendees to seek out mentors at all stages of their career.
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March 2018 | IREX conducted two meet up sessions with
Fellows in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya.
IREX staff members Janella Ferguson and Alex Sarota, who
were traveling in the region related to other IREX work,
facilitated both sessions, which focused on the challenges
that young people face accessing quality education.
Fellows in both countries reported that lack of resources
and limited investment by the government were major
setbacks for progress in the education sector. Limited
resources have a direct impact on the effectiveness of
teachers in the classroom, a challenge that was a common
thread mentioned in both Kenya and Tanzania. Four
Fellows attended the meet up in Tanzania.
March 2018 | On Wednesday, March 21, 2018 IREX
facilitated a virtual discussion with Accountability
Lab. In total, 25 Fellows attended. The webinar was
led by the Lab’s Country Directors from Nigeria,
Liberia, and Mali. Odeh Friday (Nigeria), Lawrence
Yealue (Liberia), and 2015 Mandela Washington
Fellow Moussa Kondo (Mali) spoke on
Accountability Lab’s work in their country. At the
end of the conversation, the Lab took questions
from Fellows from across the Continent who
attended. Following the conclusion of the webinar,
several Fellows reached out directly to
Accountability Lab to learn more about how they
can build a new generation of active citizens and
responsible leaders across Africa. Accountability
Lab is a longtime partner of the Mandela
Washington Fellowship, they have hosted two
Fellows for a practicum and are about to host their
third. As a direct result of the webinar, 2017 Fellow
Mwape Zulu from Zambia is currently in discussion
with Accountability Lab about starting an office in
his country.
IREX staff members Janella Ferguson and Alex Sarota pose with Fellows in Tanzania.
“A Conversation with Accountability Lab” drew Fellows from across sub-Saharan Africa for an engaging discussion
on how the Lab fights corruption and promotes government transparency.
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March 2018 | On Friday, March 23, 2018, IREX held a
networking event with Oracle at the Oracle offices in
Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya. The event, which was
attended by seven Fellows, was facilitated by Dolly
Sagwe-Onyoni, Director of Business Finance
(Technology) in sub-Saharan Africa and Executive
Coach & Personal Finance Advisor. Dolly spoke to the
Fellows on authentic networking, the idea that the
goal of networking should be to offer to give without
expecting anything in return, as opposed to receiving
and handing out business cards. Dolly also discussed
networking in the social media age, including the
importance of knowing what you are building (or destroying) for yourself online. The final session of the
day featured two senior Oracle staff members who spoke on their careers in sales at different
organizations. Fellows left the event with a few key take aways including: the higher you go, the more you
need networks; give when you need nothing; and grow your networks based on the things that matter to
both parties.
March 2018 | Social Media Lagos | A Case Study of Sustained Engagement Beyond the Interventions
Through its implementation of the
Mandela Washington Fellowship, IREX’s
relationship with Fellows has evolved
from one of implementer and
beneficiary to one of partnership. IREX
engages with Fellows beyond specific
interventions and finds creative means
to facilitate opportunities that build
broader impact and enable IREX to
create impact out of opportunities for
which specific funding may not be
available.
The participation of Fellows in March’s Social Media Week Lagos (SMWLagos), Africa’s largest annual
digital and technology event, illustrates this dynamic. Late in Quarter 15, the SMWLagos’ organizers
contacted IREX and invited the Mandela Washington Fellowship to be a Content Partner and to share our
mission of engaging and inspiring the next generation of African leaders with the event’s audience of over
15,000 in-person attendees and 454 million followers on social media. Due to timing and funding
constraints, IREX could not present at the event in Lagos, but rather than miss the opportunity to promote
the MWF and the work of Fellows at this important event, IREX leveraged partnerships with an IREX co-
created sub-network of Fellows promoting women in the technology space and the Mandela Washington
Alumni Association of Nigeria.
Fellows listen to remarks on by Oracle staff.
2016 Fellow Kelechi Mba, Segun Fatidumu, Adebola Williams, and Patricia Ngoy pose for a photo with at Social Media Week, Lagos.
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The invitation to participate in SMWLagos was an ideal occasion for IREX to engage the MWF’s Women in
ICT sub-network which was created in January by 2016 Fellow Patricia Ngoy from Democratic Republic of
the Congo in the inaugural edition of The Quarterly Connection, IREX’s recently-launched alumni
newsletter.
Capitalizing on the synergy created by their Speaker Travel Grant (STG) experience and the launch of the
Women in ICT network, IREX organized a call with 2016 Fellows Agang Ditlhogo from Botswana, Carolyne
Ekyarisiima from Tanzania, and Patricia Ngoy from Democratic Republic of the Congo, to develop a session
for SMWLagos that would spotlight both the challenges faced by African women working in tech and the
ways in which the Mandela Washington Fellowship is addressing those challenges. IREX included 2017
Fellow Segun Fatudimu from Nigeria, the current President of MWFAAN, in the session planning process
so that he could recruit Lagos-based Fellows to represent the Fellowship at the event and present the
passion and work of Mandela Fellows from across the continent.
Throughout February 2018, IREX used WhatsApp and Skype to virtually recruit presenters and organize
the session with the SMWLagos organizers, YALI women in ICT and MWFAAN. On March 2, 2018, this
collaboration yielded an inspiring session powered by the passion and success of Mandela Fellows from
across the continent and coordinated by MWFAAN and IREX entitled “Bridging the Gender Digital Divide:
YALI Leading the Way.” Presenters during the session included 2016 Fellow Kelechi Mbah from Nigeria
2016 Fellow Nkechi Okwuone from Nigeria, 2016 Fellow Adebola Williams from Nigeria, and 2016 Fellow
Patricia Ngoy who co-funded her travel from Benin with support from MWFAAN. Importantly, the session
had the full support of the US Consulate in Lagos; Darcy Zotter, the consulate’s Public Affairs Officer
provided closing remarks. The session was extremely well received and SMWLagos has already invited
YALI and IREX to contribute to the 2019 edition.
The MWF as a network of nearly 4,000 young leaders from 49 African countries impresses due to its sheer
scope, but it is not always obvious to partners or even the Fellows themselves what a valuable resource
this network is. The success of the SMWLagos collaboration illustrates, through the humility of a Fellow
like Agang Ditlhogo who worked in the background from Botswana to prepare a deck highlighting the
achievements of others, and the work ethic of a Fellow like Segun Fatudimu, who tirelessly organized
speakers and recruited Fellows as photographers and video editors, how the servant and technical
leadership of Mandela Washington Fellows can be leveraged to create cost-effective and wide reaching
impact, and importantly, how IREX and its implementing partners have learned to identify potential,
common goals, and technical expertise within the MWF community and align Fellows to magnify their
efforts and expand the breadth of their action.
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Speaker Travel Grants
In Quarter 16, Fellows continued to submit applications for Speaker Travel Grants to access external and
international networks to amplify their voice, network, and showcase their innovations and achievements.
2017 Fellow Gilmore T. Moyo from Zimbabwe traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, to speak at South
Africa Menswear Week. Gilmore spoke to an audience of 150 people on staying relevant in the fashion
industry, the power of using African heritage and history to influence fashion, and the importance of
knowing your market and your brand. Gilmore was the first 2017 Fellow to take advantage of the
opportunity to create a video as his Shared Knowledge Activity following his STG experience. The full video
can be accessed here.
In the next quarter, Fellows will travel to the United States, Canada, the UK, and countries within sub-
Saharan Africa to speak on topics ranging from youth leadership and innovation, to midwifery and
sustainable farming practices. The infographic below shows a breakdown of the Speaker Travel Grant
program in Quarter 16. To view a breakdown of the Speaker Travel Grant program to date, check out the
2017 STG Snapshot.
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Empowering Youth to Generate Sustainable Water Solutions As a result of her IREX-facilitated Speaker Travel
Grant, Chibuzor Mirian Azubuike, a 2017 Fellow
from Nigeria who studied Public Management at
Bowling Green State University, established a
network of young people all over the world that
will enable her to globally promote her book,
The Girl Who Found Water. Part of the proceeds
of the book sales will be used to provide grants
to Nigerian youth who are embarking on water
projects that will help to provide water for rural
communities. Chibuzor is the Founder of the
Haske Water Aid and Empowerment
Foundation, an NGO that provides water for
rural communities and encourages youth
participation in community service.
Chibuzor attended the International Young Water Professionals Conference in Cape Town, South Africa,
where her speech was entitled, “Access to Water: A Key Factor in Boosting the Self Esteem of People in
Rural Communities.” Upon her return from the conference, she employed a social enterprise model to
support her not-for-profit operations, a model she learned about at the event. She has since established
a bissap fruit-juice company and is using the profit from sales to sustain her NGO’s operational expenses.
More so, she met several young people who have promised to help promote her book, The Girl Who Found
Water. This will enable her to raise additional funds to embark on water projects as well as empower
young people to proffer water solutions in their community.
“If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go with people,’’ Chibuzor says. She noted that
the quote above has resonated with her after the conference in Cape Town because it underscored the
need to collaborate with like-minded professionals and community members towards water, sanitation,
and hygiene (WASH) goals.
A list detailing all Speaker Travel Grant awards to date can be found in Attachment 2.
2017 Fellow Chibuzor Mirian Azubuike speaks at the International Young Water Professionals Conference in Cape Town, South Africa on a USAID-funded Speaker Travel Grant.
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Professional Practicums
In Quarter 16, IREX continued to work with a variety of organizations from the private, public, and non-
profit sectors, as well as multilateral institutions, to host Fellows for Africa-based professional practicums.
IREX conducted outreach to organizations both from headquarters as well as from IREX’s regional offices
through its implementing partner networks. The infographic below summarizes the Professional
Practicum program in Quarter 16 and to date. For an in-depth look at the Practicum program since 2015,
check out the 2015-2017 Practicums snapshot.
2. Practical Learning Opportunities
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Empowering Young People to Lower Crime Rates and Combat Youth Unemployment
2017 Fellow Joel Ankunda from Uganda, who
studied Public Management at Texas Tech
University last summer, empowered youth to
fight crime and start their own businesses during
his professional practicum at Youth Rising in
Kawempe, Uganda. Joel is Founder of Justice
Behind Bars, an organization that ensures that
inmates who cannot afford lawyers can still
access justice through legal representation. Joel
has brought his passion for justice with him to
Youth Rising, where he served as a legal advisor
for the organization. Youth Rising employs a 360-
degree ecosystems approach to youth
development, in Kawempe, an area with high HIV
and youth unemployment rates that have led to youth engaging in drug abuse, prostitution, and gang
activities. During his practicum, Joel advised Youth Rising on legal issues and guided policy development.
Each Friday during his practicum, Joel facilitated law classes and trained young people on legal and human
rights issues, teaching them the basics of law and how to guard themselves from being involved in crime.
In addition to serving as a legal advisor, Joel created a youth center with Youth Rising, a space where youth
gain vocational skills including tailoring, digital literacy, and urban agriculture. Using the skills they develop
at the youth center, Joel hopes the young people he works with, 75% of whom are girls, will be
empowered to start their own small businesses and change the narrative of youth unemployment in
Kawempe.
Commenting on his practicum experience with Youth Rising, Joel stated, “I have no doubt whatsoever that
with this investment in growing our potential together, we shall be in position to be the next generation
of young African leaders that are zealous for positive change and [we] have a noble duty towards our
citizens through servant leadership.’’ Joel aspires to be a legislator in Parliament in the future to influence
policies that advance a better criminal justice system.
2017 Fellow Joel Akunda leads a session on the basics of law during his practicum at Youth Rising.
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Creating Opportunities to Increase the Participation of Girls in STEM
2017 Fellow Malshini Senaratne of Seychelles, a
Business & Entrepreneurship Fellow who studied
at Rutgers University, completed a two-week
intensive, IREX-facilitated job shadowing
opportunity with the Center for Advancement of
Science and Mathematics Education (CASME) in
South Africa. Malshini is co-Founder and Director
of Eco-Sol Consulting, a business she runs with
her brother aimed at promoting environmentally
sustainable development while mitigating
adverse climate change in the Seychelles. Given
her passion for science, technology, engineering,
and math, Malshini is committed to creating
opportunities to increase the participation of
girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in Seychelles.
During the two-week period, Malshini shadowed CASME’s Operations Officer, Henre Benson, who
exposed her to key institutional stakeholders, including CASME’s Board Chairperson and the
representatives from Durban University of Technology (DUT). At DUT’s entrepreneurial workshop for the
sciences, she met 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow, Phumlele Bohela. And during her Science Centre
visit, she met two U.S. Peace Corps volunteers who are running STEM based programs. At the end of two
very intense weeks, Malshini recognized the
importance of monitoring and evaluation, using
volunteers to implement quality STEM programs,
and the possibility of using mobile phone technology
in STEM education. Most importantly, however, she
learned how to change the behavior and attitude of
girls towards STEM. Since her job shadowing
experienced ended, she has developed a “Girls in
STEM” proposal for high school girls for which she is
currently seeking funding. Along with CASME, she is
exploring a longer-term partnership that would
include participating in their STEM conference,
applying to co-present at the 3rd Scientix Conference
in Belgium, and developing joint funding proposals to
the National University of Ireland Galway.
A list detailing all Q 16 Professional Practicums can be found in Attachment 3.
2017 Fellow Malshini Senaratne with Stanley Baptiste and Sydney Wilson, Peace Corps volunteers in Seychelles.
Malshini with Grade 7 students during her job shadowing experience with CASME.
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Collaboration Fund Grants
Based on Fellow feedback that they seek
increased opportunities to collaborate
and learn from one another in the Fellow
network, IREX introduced Collaboration
Fund Grants (CFG) in Year 4. Now part of
the project’s practicum program, CFGs
fund travel for Fellows to jointly execute a
project, business, or learning opportunity
facilitating deeper collaborative cross-
border engagement within the Fellowship
community. The initial response to the
CFG program was strong in all three
regions. In total, IREX received 93
applications. Semi-finalists were selected
by IREX’s field offices in late December
2017. In January, a joint committee of IREX
DC, field, and partner staff then selected
12 finalists, four from each region. Prior to
requesting concurrence from USAID, IREX
staff conducted calls with each finalist to
confirm the feasibility of their proposed
projects.
To maximize the impact of CFGs and promote the innovative ways Fellows are transforming Africa, IREX
designed a Social Media Guide for Collaboration Fund Grant Recipients and Collaborators. The guide was
shared with CFG recipients and advised Fellows on specific ways they could connect with USG partners,
IREX, and its partners on social media to share their collaboration project with a global audience and allow
their stakeholders to follow their projects’ progress in real time. The guide highlights targeted hashtags,
how to use WhatsApp groups to promote virtual collaboration, and detailed suggestions for how to tell
visual stories with photos and videos. The adoption of the guide has facilitated powerful narratives on
social media. Check out the hashtag #YALICFG on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see the
collaboration projects in real time!
To date, six CFGs have been completed and the preliminary results from the pilot phase are excellent. In
addition to promoting individual leadership development, the CFGs illustrate IREX’s progress towards
achieving Program Purpose 1: Establish broad and enduring networks that support, sustain, and multiply
the impact of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. IREX hopes to expand the program in Year 5 based on
the positive feedback and immediate impact demonstrated from the current projects. In addition to
leveraging the relationships Fellows develop with each other in the U.S., CFGs provide a cost-effective
funding mechanism that cements these relationships through action and links Fellows with different skill
Throughout Quarter 16, recipients of the inaugural round of Collaboration Fund Grants traveled across sub-Saharan Africa to implement exciting,
innovative projects.
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sets to solve unique problems. In the process, CFGs make the power and potential of the MWF/YALI
Network tangible to Fellows themselves, not to mention, potential donors and partners.
Evidence of this impact can be found below in the regional highlights!
West Africa | Training Traditional Birth Attendants to Reduce Maternal Mortality
2017 Fellow Dr. Damilola Olabisi Akinsulire from Nigeria traveled to the Magadi community of
Kajiado, Kenya, where most community members deliver at home or with traditional birth attendants.
The CFG project aimed to identify contributing factors to increasingly high levels of maternal mortality
and to train traditional birth attendants and community health volunteers on strategies to reduce
maternal mortality rates. Dr. Akinsulire's collaborator, 2017 Fellow Dr. Lydia Mutenyian from Kenya, was
heavily pregnant at the time of collaboration. As such, Dr. Mutenyian connected Dr. Akinsulire to 2017
Fellow Joel Reagan Siamito. Joel provided logistical and implementation support, mobilized participants,
and translated from English to Kiswahili for Dr. Akinsulire. During the project, the Fellows conducted a key
informant interview with an obstetric nurse from the local hospital and held a focus group with traditional
birth attendants. The focus group provided insight into the numerous challenges faced in the community,
including poverty, drought, lack of sterile medical instruments, and the misconceptions and fears around
modern contraception. Following the focus group, Dr. Akinsulire conducted a training on family planning
to dispel misconceptions about contraceptive devices. She also led a discussion on danger signs in
pregnancy and hygienic practices during delivery. Dr. Akinsulire and Joel then led a training of community
health volunteers on their role in the community, family planning, and birth preparedness and
complications. Finally, Dr. Akinsulire and Joel met with a public health officer in the community to discuss
the possibility of organizing follow-on training with opinion leaders, primarily older men, in the
community. As a result of the project, traditional birth attendants now have the full support of the public
health officer and the hospital to interact with trained medical staff. Dr. Akinsulire credits both Dr.
Mutenyian and Joel for the success of the project.
2017 Fellow Dr. Damilola Akinsulire speaks to a group of community health volunteers while 2017 Fellow Joel Siamito
translates.
Traditional birth attendants in Kajiado, Kenya learn about
modern contraception.
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Southern Africa | Leveraging Partnerships to Empower Youth to Code
Bright Chinyundu, a 2017 Fellow from Zambia, was awarded an IREX-facilitated Collaboration Fund Grant
(CFG) to collaborate on a project with 2017 Fellow Tiyani Majoko from South Africa. Bright and Tiyani
founded Code Hub Africa, a non-profit that teaches children to code and to use coding skills for
entrepreneurial purposes. Through the CFG, Bright traveled to South Africa from March 1st through 11th
to assist Tiyani in setting up a pilot project for Code Hub Africa. During their collaboration period, Bright
and Tiyani met with different stakeholders to secure sponsorships and discuss partnership opportunities
to implement and sustain the project. They also met with and brought on a third partner, 2017 Fellow
Ndoni Mcunu from South Africa, to change the Code Hub Africa registration status from a for profit social
enterprise to a non-profit organization. According to Bright, the trip was a success because they secured
partnerships with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Container Structures Manufacturing
Limited, and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, among others. The pair plans to duplicate the
project in Zimbabwe once it has taken off.
East Africa | Mushroom Farming for the Empowerment of Rural Women
2017 Fellow Jackline Bayoa, a Ugandan culinary
entrepreneur and restauranteur who studied Business
& Entrepreneurship at Oklahoma State University
(OSU) founded a savings and credit cooperative society
for women in Arua, a town in northern Uganda,
focused on mushroom production. In February 2018,
Jackline traveled to Malawi to collaborate with 2017
Fellow Dorcas Maliro, founder of Escas Investments,
which specializes in livestock and mushroom
production, who also studied Business and
Entrepreneurship at OSU. In Malawi, Dorcas provided
Jackline with structured trainings covering all aspects
of mushroom cultivation, from farm set-up to value
addition and product marketing. Jackline visited Dorcas’ farm, where farm personnel showed her how to
set up mushroom gardens. Dorcas also took Jackline into town to view mushrooms on shelves in different
2017 Fellows Jackline Bayoa and Dorcas Maliro post with farm personnel at Dorcas' farm in Malawi.
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supermarkets and to Lilongwe
University of Agriculture and Natural
Resources (LUANAR), where they
visited the Department of
Horticulture to learn how to make
mushroom seeds. Upon her return to
Uganda, Jackline began making plans
to give the trainings to her own team.
A list detailing all Collaboration Fund
Grant projects and recipients can be
found in Attachment 4.
The complete Social Media Guide for Collaboration Fund Grant Recipients and Collaborators can be found
in Attachment 5.
Mentoring
n Quarter 16, IREX has continued to identify mentors for Fellows who request a mentor through the State
Department’s Alumni website, both identifying matches through IREX DC’s networks as well as through
IREX’s regional offices and implementing partners. The infographic below details the mentorship program
in Quarter 16 and to date.
Mentoring Circles | In February 2018, IREX
piloted the idea of mentoring cirlces to
Mentors who are interested in engaging
Fellows as a group periodically. This idea
was received with enthusiam by business
executives who often have busy schedules
but want to interact with more than just one
Fellow each month and want to encourage
collaboration amongst the Fellows. The
inagural mentorship circle held their first
meeting in Dar es Salaam Tanzania with
Econet Wirless COO, Norman Moyo. The
coaching session included five Fellows
working in different business sectors. The
Fellows came to the session armed with
3. Tailored Leadership Development
Econet Wireless COO Norman Moyo (far right) snaps a selfie with 5 Fellows during his mentoring circle.
2017 Fellows Jackline Bayoa and Dorcas Maliro at the LUANAR, where they learned how to produce mushroom seeds.
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questions on various topics including corporate social responsibility, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG),
expansion strategies, and public-private partnerships. Norman will continue to meet with the Fellows over
the next six months to ensure success in their businesses and leadership journeys. In the next quarter,
IREX will use this model to pilot similar gatherings with a group of Fellows in West Africa and Southern
Africa.
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Communicating with Mentors to Actualize Career Goals
As a result of her IREX-facilitated mentorship, 2017 Fellow Maureen Changawa from Kenya conceptualized
and registered Pwani Faces, a social enterprise that is committed to building a network of coastal
champions to redefine the coastal identity through education. Pwani Faces uses mentorship, education
sponsorship, and innovative learning solutions to achieve this mission. Maureen’s mentor, Philip Mbugua,
played a key role in Maureen actualizing the enterprise. Philip’s organization, NOPE, is also working with
Maureen to develop mentorship manuals and select relevant mentorship topics. NOPE is on a mission to
build the capacity of communities and organizations for delivery of quality health and social
services. Throughout the formal mentorship program, Philip reviewed Maureen’s LDP to align his
guidance to her goals. He also connected her with 2015 Fellow Eric Amunga from Kenya, who he also
mentored through the Fellowship. Eric provided Maureen with invaluable creative dialogue as she
developed the Pwani Faces website. Though Maureen and Philip are both very busy, they communicate
regularly via email. With the guidance of Philip and NOPE, Maureen plans to launch the mentorship
program in August 2018.
Leveraging Mentorships for Non-Profit Success
2017 Fellow Sharifu Kiragga Tusuubira from
Uganda, who studied Civic Leadership at Kansas
State University was matched with Victor Ochen
through the IREX-facilitated mentorship
program. Victor is Founder and Executive
Director of the African Youth Initiative Network
(AYINET), which was nominated for a Noble
Peace Prize in 2015. Through the mentorship,
Sharifu has learned best practices in non-profit
management, a skillset that is critical to his
position as Executive Director of the Uganda
Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation, an organization
that promotes awareness and sensitization to 2017 Fellow Sharifu Kiragga Tusuubira (left) with his mentor
Victor Ochen(right).
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fight sickle cell disease in Uganda. Victor helped Sharifu prepare a concept note for funding for the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation through AYINET. Though both Sharifu and Victor are very busy with their
respective careers, the pair made time to communicate regularly on WhatsApp. Asked about his
mentorship experience, Sharifu remarked, “I feel blessed to learn from one of the best in the field of non-
profit leadership, my mentorship is playing a key role in transforming me into the global leader I aspire to
be.” Through his work, Sharifu hopes to improve the lives of sickle cell patients by combatting the stigma
associated with the disease.
A list detailing all Q 16 Mentoring Matches can be found in Attachment 6.
A copy of the Mentoring Circles addition to the Mentoring Toolkit can be found in Attachment 7.
Leadership Development Plans
During Quarter 16, the 2017 Fellows continued to submit their Leadership Development Plans (LDPs),
which helped guide their professional development experiences, including professional practicums and
mentorships. With the upcoming Continental Conference, IREX saw an uptick in the number of LDPs
submitted this quarter around the Conference application deadline. The infographic below reflects the
LPD submission progress to date.
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Local Implementing Partners Programming | West Africa Civil Society Institute
In Quarter 16, WACSI successfully matched 11 Fellows with host organizations for practicums, of whom
two declined due to family circumstances. Additionally, WACSI matched 15 Fellows with mentors during
the quarter.
WACSI also supported the numerous CoP discussions that took place this quarter by designing an online
social media advertisement poster for the three Continental CoPs. These advertisements were
disseminated to Fellows in advance of the first online CoP conversations via WhatsApp.
Following IREX’s request for implementing partners to
contribute to the development of an alumni network model,
WACSI facilitated a discussion with the President and
executive members of Mandela Washington Fellowship
Alumni Association of Nigeria (MWFAAN) to learn how the
Nigerian Fellows have successfully sustained their network
operations. The insights garnered from MWFAAN are:
• The process leading to the creation and sustainability
of any robust alumni network hinges on building
ownership and creating value addition for the
members of the network. The role of an external
partner should be as an enabler and facilitator. The
members themselves will enable the network to grow
organically.
• A strong network must address alumni needs
particularly focused on services, opportunities, and
resources within and outside it.
• A strong network should integrate and promote all
the components of the Young African Leadership
Initiative (Mandela Washington Fellowship, Regional
Leadership Centers, and YALI Network,).
Following outcomes from the Regional Advisory Board self-evaluation survey, WACSI conducted the first
Effective Board Governance Principles webinar on Skype for members of the East Africa Regional Advisory
Board on March 14, 2018. Seven out of ten members from the East Africa RAB participated in the webinar.
The objective of the session was to share concerns and perspectives on how the RAB members could
II. Administrative Updates
WACSI designed online advertisements, such as the one seen here, for the three Continental CoPs this
quarter.
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improve their team work, internal communication among members, and external engagement with IREX,
USAID, and the Fellow community they serve. A similar session was held with the West Africa Regional
Advisory Board on March 28, 2018 and the Southern Africa Regional Advisory Board is to be scheduled for
the next quarter.
Programming | Southern Africa Trust
During Quarter 16, the Southern Africa Trust reached out to 10 new partners and continued to work with
two previous partners as practicum hosts. Thus far, 11 practicums have been finalized. In this period, three
practicum applications were withdrawn, two after their practicum placements were finalized with the
host organization because they had taken up new roles in their respective organizations, and the third
Fellow had a conflict of interest with the host organization. During this reporting period, The Trust
finalized 13 mentorships.
During this period, The Trust invited Fellows and Fellowship alumni in Mozambique to participate in a
Southern Africa Miners Association (SAMA) Capacity Building meeting, held at Southern Sun Maputo,
Mozambique on February 22, 2018. Two 2017 Fellows were selected and sponsored to form part of the
SAMA delegation team that visited the Assoçiãcao de Mineiros Moçambicanos (AMIMO) office and visited
the mining town of Lualane. Silvana Ferrão, one of the Fellows who was part of the field visit said, “The
experience was good, I’ve since had the opportunity to work in different projects related to mining
activities in Mozambique. It was valuable to hear how artisanal, small, and large mining workers organize
themselves and deal with life after the end of their term. I also got the chance to get in touch with AMIMO
which I did not have before. I am sharing my experiences of this field visit with my networks.”
And finally, in Quarter 16, The Trust conducted a desk top review of Fellow associations across the region.
The two primary themes that emerged were:
• The Fellow associations in the region have varied structures in various stages of development, but
they do need support around governance, communication, and mobilization;
• There appears to be an expressed need for collaboration whether cross-border or in-country, but
Fellows struggle to collaborate intentionally. Research shows that funding opportunities from
local Embassies force network engagement and increases Fellow-led efforts to collaborate and
should be considered in Year 5, as a strategy to increase collaboration and strengthen the existing
organic networking structures Fellows have created.
Programming | Voluntary Service Overseas
During Quarter 16, VSO Kenya focused on obtaining sponsors and partners for the upcoming Continental
Conference. During this time, VSO met with the Coca Cola Foundation, South Africa Airways, Oriflamme
Cosmetics, The Nomads Magazine, Stanbic Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Abbott, and Intermedia. VSO
Kenya, together with IREX, organized a webinar for Fellowship mentors and mentees. The All-star
Mentoring Webinar, which took place in February 2018, had 17 sustained viewers and 20 guests in total.
The viewers included mentors, IREX/partner staff, and Fellows. VSO Kenya also supported IREX in
identifying, planning, and implementing a networking session with Oracle Kenya. The networking event
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took place on March 23, 2018. The event included five members of Oracle staff and seven Fellows from
Kenya across all cohorts.
VSO Kenya also checked in with existing partners with the aim of securing practicum opportunities and
exploring other avenues of partnership. VSO Kenya conducted meetings with the African Union (Amb.
Salah Hammad, Head of the AGA Secretariat and Ibraheem Sanusi Citizen Engagement Lead & Governance
Expert African Governance Architecture (AGA) Secretariat) and secured four practicum opportunities for
the 2017 cohort. VSO Kenya also held a meeting with the Department of Citizen and Diaspora (CIDO)
(Eiman Kheir. Ag. Head of Diaspora Division). From this meeting, CIDO expressed interest in hosting a
minimum of five Fellows per six months. VSO Kenya conducted site visits in Uganda where they visited
Days for the Girls, VSO Uganda, and Youth Arising. Through these visits, VSO Kenya took every opportunity
to meet with Fellows on practicums and Fellowship alumni. In addition to the meetings with AU and CIDO,
VSO Kenya also had a meeting with an IGAD representative (Kagwe Mutahi, IGAD Program Officer to the
African Union).
VSO Kenya received 10 new mentorship applications. Out of the total of 26 mentorship requests, 15
Fellows had been matched and mentorships in progress as of this quarter. VSO Kenya placed five Fellows
in practicums this quarter while another nine Fellows have had their CVs sent out to partners across the
region for practicum opportunities.
VSO Kenya also supported the collection of stories from Fellows and mentorship and practicum check-ins.
This process was conducted via mail, phone, and one-on-one meetings with Fellows. Through this, VSO
Kenya collected a total of 14 success stories this quarter.
VSO Kenya supported the logistics for seven RAB members, two IREX staff, and one VSO Kenya staff during
the second in-person RAB meeting. VSO Kenya also provided visa and logistical support to three CFG
awardees in March. Sandra Ejang traveled to Cameroon, Jackline Bayoa traveled to Malawi, and Victor
Charo travelled to Ghana.
Subawards
During this period, IREX negotiated the 2018 renewal of its partnership with VSO. Mercy Githanji worked
closely with representatives of VSO during the subaward negotiation process. The new subaward, after
being approved by Counterpart, became effective on February 1, 2018.
Staffing
During this quarter, Nicole Mechem transitioned off the program to take up the position of Director of
the Leadership Practice at IREX and Cheryl Schoenberg was approved as the new Chief of Party and
officially assumed the role in early February.
In March, Abdul Agukoh left IREX for other opportunities and IREX began recruiting for a new Program
Coordinator in our Nairobi office to fill the position.
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Understanding the significant role that
communication and outreach plays in making the
Fellowship relatable and ensuring long-term
sustainability, this quarter, IREX continued to pursue
a cohesive communication and outreach strategy
that employs a variety of tools to maximize
Fellowship impact, and reach the widest possible
global audience. During this reporting period, IREX
continued to use different mediums of
communication to promote the Fellowship and the
accomplishments of Fellows to external audiences.
Many of these accomplishments were also captured by external media outlets, who published stories on
Fellows’ successes throughout the quarter. Check out the articles featured in this section for a sample of
what The New York Times, USIP, and IREX have been saying about Fellows this quarter:
• “In South Sudan, an Artists’ Movement for Peace Catches Fire” (USIP, January 19, 2018)
• “She Ran From the Cut, and Helped Thousands of Other Girls Escape, Too” (New York Times,
January 13, 2018)
• “Growing global business partnerships from international exchanges” (IREX, February 26, 2018)
• “This young entrepreneur is preparing girls to lead the tech industry in Ghana” (IREX, February
11, 2018)
In Quarter 16, the Mandela Washington Fellowship
Facebook page neared 60,000 likes, a milestone that will
likely be achieved early in Quarter 17. In March, the
communications team featured posts in honor of
Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day.
Across social media, Fellowship alumni also celebrated
the occasion. For example, the Mandela Washington
Fellowship Alumni Association of Kenya featured the
work of several female Kenyan Fellows each day. To
close out the month, IREX posted a feature on the
campaign, including the profiles of all Fellows
featured throughout the month.
"In South Sudan, an Artists' Movement for Peace Catches Fire" (USIP, January
19, 2018)
"She Ran From the Cut, and Helped Thousands of Other Girls Escape, Too"
(New York Times, January 13, 2018)
C. Communications
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In February, the Fellowship communications team re-
introduced the @MandelaWashFellowship Instagram
account. In addition to posting original content, this
account engages with Institute partners, implementing
partners, Fellows, and Africa-based partners. IREX will
continue to increase its use of Instagram due to its
exponential growth across Africa, particularly among
youth, and potential for increased engagement with
target audiences. Since the re-launch of the
Fellowship’s Instagram, the account has gained several
hundred Followers.
IREX continues to utilize social media platforms,
including private Facebook groups, to promote
opportunities for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 Fellows.
This quarter, IREX introduced a new communications
tool in the form of a quarterly alumni newsletter. This
newsletter, titled “The Quarterly Connection,” aims to
keep Fellowship alumni engaged and involved in the
Fellowship network. The inaugural newsletter featured
stories of successful cross-cohort, cross-country
collaboration and invited Fellows to join sub-
networks, including the Women in ICT group
previously discussed. In addition, the newsletter
featured an opportunity board, a space for job and scholarship opportunities that are sent to IREX by our
partners, as well as a call for alumni to host 2017 Fellows for practicums. Across cohorts (2014 – 2017),
65% of Fellows opened the newsletter, a high rate in comparison to other Mailchimp email campaigns
and an indication of Fellows’ interest in remaining engaged with the broader MWF network and hearing
about the work of their colleagues. In subsequent newsletters, IREX will continue to highlight successful
collaboration stories, with the aim of inspiring Fellows from different countries, cohorts, and tracks to
work collaboratively.
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is a key component of program implementation as it allows for results-
based management, decision-making, accountability, and learning throughout program implementation.
IREX’s M&E strategy includes the creation and use of effective and timely systems to provide information
to USAID, program staff, and partners that assists them in measuring progress, identifying potential
opportunities and obstacles at an early stage and, based on the results, making programmatic
adjustments. IREX applies a mixed methods approach to ensure that project performance and impact are
captured accurately and comprehensively. This section provides a summary of key evaluation activities
implemented in Quarter 16 and a description of progress against relevant indicators.
"Growing global business partnerships from international exchanges"
(IREX, February 26, 2018)
"This young entrepreneur is preparing girls to lead the tech industry in Ghana"
(IREX, February 11, 2018)
D. Monitoring and Evaluation
Page | 36
Quarterly Learning Meeting Please see the “Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting” section of the report for more on the quarterly
learning meeting.
Capstone Report In Quarter 16, IREX finalized the Capstone report for the 2016 cohort of Fellows. This report specifically
explores the outcomes of the USAID-sponsored follow-on programming aimed at achieving the program
goal and both program purposes for the 2016 cohort of Mandela Washington Fellows, of whom 42.5%
(424 of 9971) participated in USAID-sponsored follow-on activities. It provides a comprehensive review of
data collected over the year after Fellows returned to their home countries and explores how follow-on
programming helped Fellows apply what they learned in the U.S. and further expanded their knowledge
base in localized contexts. The infographic below gives an overview of some of the results.
The 2016 Capstone Report can be found in Attachment 8.
1 Three Fellows were dropped from the program during the course of the U.S. Institutes.
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Progress against indicators IREX tracks performance indicators as well as impact indicators to monitor and enhance our
understanding of program success. Data indicates that the program is on track to meet expected targets.
The following section provides a synopsis of changes in selected indicators over the past quarter that are
in line with the program purposes.
Program Purpose 1: Establish broad and enduring networks to support, sustain, and multiply
the impact of MWF programming.
13 BE, CL, and PM Fellows have been approved for grants to
share their expertise globally (indicator O1.2.1a).
27 31
42
53
Q15 Q16
The program held two networking and
learning events for Fellows this quarter,
bringing the cumulative total to 84. Of
those events, IREX tailored 31 to women
and other marginalized groups (indicators
O1.2.2 and SP2.2b).
45%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Q15 Q16
Fellow participation is going up.
The percent of 2017 Fellows who have taken
part in follow on activities increased (indicator
G2).
$991,812.50
$22,835.28
$-
$200,000.00
$400,000.00
$600,000.00
$800,000.00
$1,000,000.00
$1,200,000.00
Q15 Q16
The program is leveraging more investments.
The program added nearly $850,000 in contributions from
partners for the 2017 cohort this quarter, most of which
came in the form of supervisor hours though other
contributions were also made (indicator G4).
Page | 39
Program Purpose 2: Develop young Africans’ leadership skills, knowledge, and attitudes
necessary to become active and constructive members of society.
The cumulative Indicator Progress Matrix can be found in Attachment 9.
A key lesson learned at the final RAB meeting was that the intention of the CoPs must be clarified at the
beginning of the RAB’s term. In discussing the CoPs, there was concern/confusion about the expectations
of USAID and IREX. Fellows assumed that if outcomes were expected they would receive funding to take
their recommendations forward. At the meeting, it was clarified and reinforced that the purpose of the
CoPs is for the Fellow community to engage on issues of their concern. As indicated earlier, solutions
developed from the CoPs should emphasize the skills/resources within the Fellow community and not
focus on sourcing funding from the U.S. government to move actions forward that are identified during
CoP discussions.
Secondly, it is important to spend more than two days during the first meeting reviewing the RAB toolkit.
This year, the RAB was provided with the toolkit before elections, once elected, and at the first meeting.
During the initial two-day meeting in November 2017, considerable time was spent covering the content
of the toolkit but there are still gaps in understanding amongst members. As a result, IREX’s implementing
partner, WACSI has supplemented this by providing virtual governance capacity building sessions with
E. Lessons Learned
29
78
22
66
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Q15 Q16
(offered vs used)
32
62
26
61
Q15 Q16
(offered vs used)
The program is reaching more Fellows to develop skills and
knowledge.
Offers for practicum and mentorship placements increased
since Q15, and more Fellows are accepting offers (indicators
O2.1.1a and b; O2.2.1a and b).
More Fellows are using program tools to
chart their professional development.
LDP completion is increasing across East,
Southern, and West Africa (indicator O2.2a).
151209
152
185
219
270
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Q15 Q16
Page | 40
each RAB to discuss their role. Furthermore, IREX will review whether additions are needed to the toolkit
to provide further clarification where the RAB identified gaps.
Team Learning Meeting & Network Focus Group
During Quarter 16, IREX held a team learning meeting that focused on brainstorming for Year 5 of the
program’s activities focusing on Purpose 1 of the program: strengthening the MWF network. This builds
on our learning of how existing MWF alumni associations across the continent are operating and how
these organic, sustainable structures might be better supported by the program.
The team brainstormed possible outcomes the broader network would create, and assessed the existing
structure of the network while considering what structure might be most beneficial. The brainstorming
followed the process laid out in IREX’s Organization Performance Improvement Process2 (OPI) framework,
and drew on the Monitor Institute’s framework to ground ideas about what networks might achieve3 and
network structure. Outcomes which the team thought a broader MWF network could support include
sharing resources amongst Fellows; promoting MWF brand recognition; share learning/ideas; serving as
a source of support and accountability to Fellows and their peers; promoting advocacy; and launching
joint initiatives.
2 https://www.irex.org/resource/irexs-guide-organizational-performance-improvement 3 http://engage.rockefellerfoundation.org/what-could-a-network-help-me-achieve/what-network-design-would-be-the-most-useful/
F. Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting
When brainstorming possible outcomes that the broader MWF network could create, IREX's OPI framework was used as guidance.
Page | 41
In terms of network structure, the team thought that at the initial stage, governance should be more
centralized with many opportunities for Fellows to take leadership roles as the network evolves. The
network would focus on short-term outcomes at first, as these are easier to measure, and move towards
systemic change as the network gained experience working on such outcomes together. The team was
divided as to the orientation of the network – focusing more on action or learning. Currently, pockets of
the network are focusing on both, and the team felt this was an area where more Fellow input is needed.
In addition to the team’s brainstorming, IREX leveraged the presence of three 2015 Fellows in Washington
DC to hold a focus group on this topic following the same brainstorming structure as outlined above.
As the team moves forward with planning for Year 5, these ideas will be incorporated into activities as
support to networks can ensure more impactful, sustainable outcomes.
Please see the Network Development write-up of findings in Attachment 10.
The program goal is to build the skills of young African leaders to improve the accountability and
transparency of government, start and grow businesses, and serve their communities. One high-level
indicator of progress towards achieving this project goal is participation in follow-on activities in Africa.
IREX has connected over 45% of 2017 Fellows to professional development activities through USAID funds
and 2017 Fellows have received over 7,900 hours of hands-on training through practicums. In Quarter 16,
IREX finalized 32 practicums for 2017 Fellows, introduced 33 2017 Fellows to mentors, and approved 5
2017 Fellows for Speaker Travel Grants. In the next quarter, IREX will host the Continental Conference in
Johannesburg, South Africa.
All attachments are included as separate documents
1. 2018 All-RAB Spring Meeting Notes
2. Speaker Travel Grant Awards Q16
3. Finalized Professional Practicum Placements Q16
4. Collaboration Fund Grants
5. 2018 Social Media Guide for Collaboration Fund Grant Recipients and Collaborators
6. Finalized Mentoring Matches Q16
7. Mentoring Circle Addition to Mentoring Toolkit
8. 2016 Capstone Report
9. Indicator Progress Matrix
10. Network Development Writeup
G. Conclusion
H. Attachments