Applications Open for 2015 Green Pioneer Accelerator Programme in Kenya and South Africa

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Fellowship, 2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship Application (open to young African leaders)

2015 MANDELA WASHINGTON FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

MANDELA WASHINGTON FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE

• October 7, 2014- Application opens
• November 5, 2014: Application deadline
• January–February 2015: Semifinalists interviewed by local U.S. embassies and consulates
• April 2015: Applicants are notified of their status
• May 2015: Visa processing for finalists
• Mid-June 2015: Fellowship starts in the United States

Selection Process:

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is conducted as a merit-based open competition. After the deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed by a selection panel. Chosen semifinalists will be interviewed by the U.S. embassies or consulates in their home countries. If selected for an interview, applicants must provide a copy of their passport (if available) or other government-issued photo identification to verify eligibility.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. The Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to young African leaders who meet the following criteria:

• Are between the ages of 25 and 35 at the time of application submission, although exceptional applicants younger than 25 will be considered.
• Are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.
• Are eligible to receive a United States J-1 visa.
• Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English.
• Are citizens and residents of one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Individuals residing in the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Sudan and Zimbabwe may not apply to the public management track. Residents of Sudan may only apply for the Civic Leadership track.

The U.S. Department of State and IREX reserve the right to verify all of the information included in the application. In the event that there is a discrepancy, or information is found to be false, the application will immediately be declared invalid and the applicant ineligible.

Applications not meeting the above technical eligibility requirements will not be forwarded to the selection committee. If you do not meet the technical eligibility requirements for this program, we invite you to visit exchanges.state.gov for information on other U.S. Department of State exchange opportunities.

What are the criteria for selection?

Selection panels will use the following criteria to evaluate applications (not in order of importance):

• A proven record of leadership and accomplishment in public service, business and entrepreneurship, or civic engagement.
• A demonstrated commitment to public or community service, volunteerism, or mentorship.
• The ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and respect the opinions of others.
• Strong social and communication skills.
• An energetic, positive attitude.
• Demonstrated knowledge, interest and professional experience in the sector/track selected.
• A commitment to return to Africa and apply leadership skills and training to benefit the applicant’s country and/or community after they return home.

Application Information:

The application will collect basic information and will include questions regarding the applicant’s professional and academic experience, including educational background; honors and awards received; extracurricular and volunteer activities; and English language proficiency. We will also request a résumé (with dated educational and professional background), and personal information (name, address, phone, email, country of citizenship). Additional elements, such as letters of recommendation or university transcripts, are OPTIONAL and may supplement your application.

DEADLINE: November 5, 2014:

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Scholarships for African women media leaders at Rhodes University, Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA)

The Sol Plaatje Institute (SPI) for Media Leadership at Rhodes University in South Africa, in collaboration with the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), invites applications for six postgraduate scholarships from Southern African women media leaders who wish to study media management at the SPI in 2015.

Applicants should be from Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Successful applicants will register for the SPI’s intensive, one-year-long fulltime Postgraduate Diploma in Media Management (PDMM), the only formal media management qualification in Africa and the developing world. Candidates must already possess an undergraduate degree from a recognised university in order to pursue postgraduate study. The OSISA scholarships cover:

• The full cost of tuition
• Accommodation and meals in one of Rhodes University’s postgraduate residences
• Course materials and books
• A monthly subsistence allowance
• Medical aid
• Mid-year media management internship costs.

Employers of the successful scholarship applicants or the scholarship winners themselves will need to cover their travel costs to and from Rhodes University, including during the University’s holidays, to encourage greater ownership and appreciation of the scholarship programme by the beneficiaries and their media companies.

The PDMM is a one-year,  fulltime programme designed to provide people who work or aspire to work in the media industry with critical skills and knowledge they need to perform more effectively and strategically in their organizations and to fast-track their careers to management positions.

The PDMM is equivalent to an honours degree — it is pegged at Level 8 on the National Qualifications Framework set by South Africa’s qualifications-setting agency SAQA — and combines rigorous theoretical and practical grounding, a mid-year management internship and a comprehensive academic portfolio at the end of the year.

The PDMM is composed of eight compulsory modules covering media economics and financial management; media markets, audiences and advertising; managing media content; managing circulation and distribution; media management and leadership; media management contexts, policy and institutions; new media and convergence; and human resources management.

Application details and procedures:

Only women candidates who are already working in the media industry in the 10 Southern African countries of OSISA listed above are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Candidates should already have an undergraduate degree in any discipline from a recognised university.
The application deadline for these scholarships is 7 November 2014.

Students wishing to apply for these scholarships need to:

• Complete the Rhodes University’s standard Honours Application form (available at www.ru.ac.za/applying/  under the section ‘Postgraduate Studies’  which mustbe submitted directly to the Registrar’s Division at Rhodes University and a copy emailed to Linda Snam (l.snam(at)ru.ac.za)  or to Sibonise Mbengashe at S.Mbengashe(at)ru.ac.za at the Sol Plaatje Institute (SPI).
• Submit a detailed Curriculum Vitae, including contact details. This is sent to the SPI only.
• Submit certified academic transcripts of ALL tertiary qualifications (these are sent to both the SPI and Registrar’s Division at Rhodes University); and
• Submit to the SPI (through Linda Snam at L.snam(at)ru.ac.za or through  Sibonise Mbengashe at S.Mbengashe(at)ru.ac.za) a 1,000-word letter of motivation, which explains why the student is interested in doing the PDMM, how the PDMM will assist the student’s career and why the student believes she/he qualifies for the OSISA scholarship.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted after the applications close at 12 mid-day (Southern African time) on 7 November  2014.

OSISA is an African institution committed to the creation of open societies through support for democracy, human rights and good governance and it works in Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The SPI is a pioneering institute of Rhodes University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies.  It educates and trains high-level media managers and leaders for Africa through delivering a unique and innovative honours degree-level formal qualification in media management, the  PDMM, and a range of professional business and editorial courses that are fully certificated and accredited for practising media leaders from across the continent.

DEADLINE: November 7, 2014

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Fellowship: Peace Revolution East & South African Youth Fellowship in Botswana

Applications for the Peace Revolution East &South African Youth Fellowship in Botswana – January 26-30 2015 are open now!

“Be the change you want to see in the world ~ Mahatma Gandhi’

The fellowship will bring together 50 young people from all over East/South Africa who are interested in learning and exploring self-development as a primary means to create real world change. This retreat aims to promote a culture of peace, peace education, conflict prevention and youth empowerment through the primary means of meditation and self-development.

The fellowship offers a 5 days intensive training program providing participants with deeper insight in the relationship between inner peace and sustainable world peace and enhancing their ability to create peace within their family, professional and social environment.

The fellowship includes:

• Full sponsoring of airfare
• Free accommodation
• Free catering
• Free local transportation
• Free meditation retreat fee

Eligibility:

• Candidates must be East & South African nationals residing in Africa. The countries from these region are: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Reunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. .
• Candidates should be 18-30 years old at the time of submitting the application in order to receive the airfare support.
• Candidates must have completed at least 21 days of the online Self-Development Program by November 25th. Note that in order to submit the application form, candidates do not need to have completed the online self-development program.
• Candidates have good proficiency in written and spoken English language.
• Candidates should be optimistic, open-minded, show leadership potential, and have a genuine interest in peace and dialogue.
• Candidates should be young leaders in local, national or international organizations.
• Candidates should send a recommendation letter from their organizations/institutions.
• Candidates need to pay a commitment fee of 100USD before the arrival to the retreat site (by Bank transfer or Western Union)

DEADLINE:

Application Deadline – October 31st, 2014 (last date to apply online)

Eligibility Deadline – November 25th, 2014 (last date to complete at least 21 days of the online Self-Development Program)

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