Learn, share and apply are our priorities

I took this challenge to insure that we’re going to do our best to promote the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders 2016 around the country. My colleagues and I are committed to deliver the YALI principles and how this program can change our communities and our country.

There is a lot of emotion, expectation behind this experience. I’m so exciting and curious to travel to California, where I’m going to stay in the International House of Berkeley’s university, this is amazing. I can’t focus anymore at my workplace, I’m trying to finish my tasks though as much the days are getting close it’s impossible to work, to sleep, to think, or do anything … Now it is much easier to understand the alumni’s presentation during the PDO in Dakar – it’s exciting from the beginning till the end.

Our pre-departure experience in Dakar was fabulous because we met with strong and potential African leaders involving the Alumni was also great and my favorite presentations were those of Maguette NIANG, Victorine Sarr AWUAH and Aissatou SENE, the girl who met Beyonce. The orientation better prepares us for our trip to the United States. 

Everything is new for me, it’s like my first time at school, sometimes you have a feeling that you won’t make it but after meeting the alumni, I believe that I will make it, and I am willing to learn and later to teach and share this experience with others. To insure that our country knows about the Mandela Washignton Fellowship for Young African Leaders, we started a promotion campaign through radio debates, interviews, TV shows and press. 

The first invitation was from the first private radio of Guinea-Bissau “Pindjiquiti”. The interview was broadcasted during all day, and suddenly I met some people and friends, who told me that they listened to the radio and they congratulated us with this achievement, which is not only ours but also theirs. 

Upon finishing all the interviews, on June 5th, we will make a press conference at the U.S. Embassy representation office in Guinea-Bissau – this is our commitment with the youth, with women and with the future of GB. So let’s work on it.

Juelma Karine MENDES
Mandela Washignton Fellow 2016
juelmak@yahoo.com.br