By Phesheya Ian Kunene
MANZINI – It’s lift-off for leadership as nine dynamic young Emaswati board the plane to greatness.
The United States Embassy in Eswatini made this announcement on Wednesday that nine young local leaders have been selected to represent the Kingdom as part of the 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (YALI).
The exciting update was shared via the Embassy’s official social media platforms, celebrating the fellows’ departure on Tuesday morning for the United States.
The selected fellows are now en route to various U.S. universities, where they will join a continent-wide cohort for six weeks of high-level academic training, leadership development, and networking opportunities designed to equip Africa’s brightest minds with the tools to shape a better tomorrow.
“We’re bursting with pride,” read the Embassy’s statement, adding that the group had been selected from among hundreds of talented applicants from Eswatini alone.
“They will represent Eswatini while building skills, expanding their networks, and soaking in new ideas to bring back home.”
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), launched in 2010 by former U.S. President Barack Obama to empower young African changemakers. Each year, it draws over 700 young professionals from across Sub-Saharan Africa for a transformative experience hosted by top American institutions. The goal is to nurture ethical, effective, and visionary leadership on the continent.
The program focuses on three main tracks: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Engagement, and Public Management. Fellows are placed at universities that match their professional background and leadership goals, where they learn from U.S. professors, engage in site visits, and connect with American counterparts.
But it’s not all about books and boardrooms. The Fellowship also fosters cross-cultural understanding, strategic thinking, and lifelong partnerships that often stretch far beyond graduation day.
Back home, the Eswatini fellows are expected to return with fresh ideas, sharpened skills, and global networks to supercharge their efforts in driving community development, public policy reform, entrepreneurship, and social impact work.
The Embassy encouraged Emaswati to follow the journey of the fellows and celebrate their achievements as part of the broader effort to invest in youth leadership and national progress.
“This is more than just a trip abroad,” said a past fellow. “It’s a powerful platform for African youth to learn, grow, and lead with purpose.”
With hashtags like #EswatiniToTheWorld and #LeadershipInAction making the rounds online, the message is loud and clear, Eswatini’s young leaders are ready to take on the world, and the world is ready to listen.
(Courtesy Pics)
