Leaders Africa 2019

The Obama Foundation Leaders Africa Program was a one-year leadership development and civic engagement program that sought to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders from across Africa. Through a core set of shared values and leadership skills, the program supported a new generation of active citizens and positive role models prepared to create tangible solutions to the challenges in their communities, countries, and across the continent.

The Program sought to identify emerging leaders in public, civil society, and the private sector who had demonstrated a commitment to advancing the common good within their sphere of influence. The objective of the program is to build a growing network of innovative and ethical changemakers who seek to drive change in their communities while developing and supporting one another. 

Leaders will participate in the following core elements of the program:

Regional Kick-Off Convening On July 10-15, the Leaders Africa program brought together 200 emerging leaders from 45 countries across the continent to explore new ways to take on the biggest challenges in their communities. Leaders also created personal action plans and a values manifesto for engagement in the full-year virtual program.

Monthly Virtual Calls These live virtual sessions were the primary form of collective engagement. These connections offered a mix of new content (conversations with experts, introductions to leadership frameworks, skill-building, etc.) and interactive, small-group work in breakout rooms.

Service Projects During the regional kick-off convening, Leaders engaged in service activities with nonprofits and local schools. During a dedicated week near the end of the program year, Obama Leaders across the continent were encouraged to engage in service projects in their countries in their personal capacity.