Deadline: January 12, 2024
Applications are open for the Ashinaga Africa Initiative 2024 for Young African Leaders. The Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) is an international leadership program that cultivates the next generation of leaders to contribute to the development of sub-Saharan Africa.
The programme has three stages:
- Study Camp and Preparation Camp: Ashinaga will select students from each Sub-Saharan African country to participate in a Study Camp in Uganda or Senegal from July to December 2024. Anglophone students will normally attend the Camp in Uganda, with Francophone students attending the Camp in Senegal. During the Study Camp, students are assisted in their academic preparation, university applications (to either Japan, the U.K., the U.S.A., or Europe), career planning and leadership development. After completing the Study Camp, the students will progress to a second camp called Preparation Camp. This happens between April and June 2025. Students prepare for the social, cultural, and academic differences they will discover abroad. Students will then proceed to university in August or September of 2025. All of the costs during both camps are fully covered by Ashinaga.
- Students who wish to join the Japanese language track, in which they study in the Japanese language at a university in Japan, will follow a similar schedule, however, they will focus on intensive Japanese language learning throughout the Study Camp. After the Study Camp, they will move to Japan to spend one or two years at a language school prior to starting their university studies.
- During University: The AAI helps students access full financial support to study abroad. The support covers the first possible qualification that can be earned, and the costs of a foundation or preparatory course will also be covered if required. Ashinaga has regional offices to support students during studies in Japan, the U.K., the U.S.A., France and Brazil. Scholars will participate in a mandatory internship in their home country or Sub-Saharan Africa and join Ashinaga’s leadership development programmes. The AAI does not accept applications from students who wish to study for a second degree or master’s degree.
- After Graduation: Scholars have the responsibility to return to their home countries or Sub-Saharan Africa within four years after graduating and contribute to the country/region while living there for at least one year. They will have to contact Ashinaga during this period to provide information about their activity and residency.
Benefits
- The AAI provides full financial support for studying abroad (undergraduate/bachelor’s level) including accommodation, travel costs and other necessary expenses.
Eligibility
Open to those who:
- Have lost one or both parents.
- Have completed secondary school and received the results of their national Secondary School examination (technical and vocational degrees not accepted) within the last two years (any date after August 2, 2021 including all of 2022 and 2023) or will have completed Secondary School and received final exam results before February 9, 2024.
- Have citizenship and have completed/are completing high school in one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, CAR, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, DRC, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Kenya, Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Seychelles, Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- Were born after September 1, 2001.
- Do not have the means to attend university abroad without external financial support.
- Are proficient in English, French or Portuguese.
- Are regularly ranked in the top 10% of their class during their last 2 or 3 years of secondary school.
- Are able to participate in the two Ashinaga preparatory programs, over the course of one year, before attending university.
- Are committed to return home, or to Sub-Saharan Africa, and contribute to society in Sub-Saharan Africa after graduating from university.
- Have no dependents who could interfere with academic progress.
- Have a good enough health condition to be able to study abroad.
Application
There are two stages to the Ashinaga Africa Initiative application process:
- Applicant Registration: all applicants must first confirm their eligibility by registering for the programme. Only students who register for the programme and are deemed eligible will receive the application form by email. Each decision about an applicant’s eligibility is based on the criteria outlined above and their academic record. The expectations for the academic record of an applicant reflects the academic level they expect students to have in order thrive as part of the intensive leadership programme.
- Application: all students who register for the program will receive an email with a link to the application form within 1 month of their registration if they are eligible for the programme.
For more information, visit Ashinaga Africa Initiative.
