On May 2nd and 3rd, His Excellency James Zumwalt, Ambassador of the United States in Senegal, and his staff welcomed the 2016 YALI fellow for a predepature orientation session.
These young leaders, 30 Senegalese and 4 Bissau - Guineans, have had the opportunity to know more about the program, the United States and American culture and customs.
In his speech, Mr. Zumwalt congratulated the 2016 cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for its selection after a rigorous process, led by the US State Department.
He also reiterated the will of the American president to focus on Young African Leaders, targets of this leadership program created in 2010.
The conviction of the Ambassador of the United States is that the youth of Senegal is the future of the nation.
He has also welcomed the representation of ST-Louis and Ziguinchor regions for the 2016 session of YALI.
Ambassador Zumwalt has praised the potential of Senegalese youth and their entrepreneurial spirit.
After her speech, Ms. Kine Diakhate, Exchanges Specialist in the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy, presented the program, conditions and information related to visa procedures.
Maguette Niang (MWF 2015, Tulane university), presented the civic leadership track, Ndeye Absa Gningue (MWF 2014, University of Texas in Austin) the Business and Entrepreneurship track. Victorine Sarr (MWF 2015, University of Wisconsin-Stout) provided information on the presidential summit to be held in Washington DC, as well as the Regional Conference of YALI.
These Almuni shared their experiences and gave advice to the 2016 cohort.
A lunch at the ambassador concluded this first preparatory day.
On Tuesday, May 3, personal development experience, that allows some fellows to integrate American companies, was introduced by Aissatou Sene (MWF 2015, Northwestern University).
The Public Management track has been presented by Tchegoun Koba (MWF 2014, Howard University).
Other presentations on the role of Regional Leadership Centers (RLC) installed in Dakar, Nairobi and Accra, on funding opportunities, Information resource center of the US Embassy and the use of social networks have closed the session of orientation.
These preparatory meetings were an opportunity for Fellows to know each other and learn a lot about the YALI program, the United States and about American culture before their departure their hosting institute in June 2016.
Ndeye Khady LO
Mandela Washington Fellow 2016
ndeyekhadylo@gmail.com
