We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for young entrepreneurs aged 18-35 in East, West and Southern Africa to apply for start-up and scale-up seed-funding of 2000$, designed to empower  and support innovative youth-driven businesses. In the spirit of integrating Africa’s youth in the AfCFTA implementation process, we will be supporting one entrepreneur per region. 

Stay tuned for the upcoming call for Central and North Africa. 

Who Should Apply? 

We welcome applications from youth entrepreneurs who: 

·        Are nationals and residing in East, West and Southern Africa 

·        Are aged 18-35 

·        Have an operational or scalable business idea 

·        Are you passionate about making a positive impact in their communities

·        Are eager to network, learn, and grow with other entrepreneurs. 

What We Offer: 

Selected entrepreneurs will benefit from:

·        Access to expert mentorship and coaching 

·        Seeding funding of $2000

·        Networking opportunities with industry leaders 

How to Apply: 

Please submit your expression of interest and fill in the application form HERE. Kindly note that the entrepreneurs will be selected by a panel. Please make sure the following information are ready: 

·        Business registration, where applicable 

·        1 min video pitch 

·        1 page business description 

·        Business website or social media 

Deadline: 

Please submit your application by 20th February 2025 before midnight EAT. 

The tripartite partnership, YouLead Africa, Plan International and the African Union Office of the Youth Envoy, are delighted to launch the 4th cohort call for applications. This call for Expression of Interest services as an opportunity for young women leaders based in Eastern, Southern Africa, and the Middle East.     

Lead(H)er stands for “she is a leader” and the Fellowship was conceptualized with the aim of supporting young women in Africa by nurturing their skills, expertise and aspirations in the fields of Politics, Economics/Business and Peace and Security. The aim of the Fellowship is to provide a safe space for Young Women who haven’t been exposed much to regional and international opportunities, while amplifying their impact at local and grassroots levels. In doing so, we believe that young women with a peculiar interest in political participation, economic governance and peace and security will shape their contribution in these fields.     

The 4th cohort is open to young women not older than 25 years old and national/resident of the following countries: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Somalia, Sudan, Egypt and Zimbabwe.     

This year, the Lead(H)er Fellowship is conceptualized as a 5 months Fellowship: The first week will be held physically, and the rest will be virtual. For the virtual component, it is expected that the Fellow provides at least 10 hours per month, which includes virtual gatherings and personal assignments. 2 hours per week will be dedicated to virtual gatherings with the trainers, and 2 hours per month will be dedicated for personal assignments, group work and readings.     

The Fellows will be provided with internet packages to facilitate their participation in the virtual sessions and the completion of the assignments.     

This form serves as an opportunity to identify the fourth Cohort of the Lead(H)er Fellowship. To be considered as a member of the Cohort, please note that you should be a national of the eligible countries in Eastern, Southern Africa and the Middle East, and be not older than 25 years old.   

Please use this form if you wish to submit your expression of interest.    If you are a national of another country, please feel free to submit your expression of interest to be engaged in other activities and to be considered for the next Cohort of the Lead(H)er Fellowship.     

The deadline to apply for the Lead(H)er Fellowship is December 20th 2024. Kindly note eligible applicants will be notified in January 2025.