Young leaders from Ghana and from different professional backgrounds who were selected to represent Ghana for the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders called on the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC to meet with the Ambassador of Ghana to the United States to officially inform her and the consulate of their presence in the country and the purpose for which they were there.
They had just completed six weeks of leadership training across 28 education institutions in the United States of America and were in Washington DC for the 10th Anniversary Summit of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Mandela Washington Summit. An initiative of the United States Government to empower young African leaders.
The fellows took the opportunity to deliberate on diverse issues and explore potential synergies to propel their impact-driven projects forward. Speaking on behalf of the fellows, Mr. Banasco Seidu Nuhu, CEO of Nasco Tech and Nasco Feeding Minds emphasized the need for government to support the initiatives of the fellows who have distinguished themselves as leaders in their various fields in the country. He mentioned that, with government support, fellows will be able to scale their work to augment the government’s development efforts.
Her Excellency, Hajia Alima Mahama assured the fellows that she will facilitate the necessary conversations with the relevant authorities in the country, especially the presidency to secure dedicated resources to support the initiatives of the fellows. She mentioned that such a move will not only amplify the work of the fellows but will also drive development and progress in Ghana and beyond.
Dr. Joel Duah Afi, an Alumni of the fellowship and the recipient of the 2024 Leadership Impact Award was also in attendance to present his award to the ambassador. The Leadership Impact Award annually recognizes the individual achievements of one outstanding member of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Network who has freely and consistently committed their time and expertise to the needs of others—whether inside or outside of work—by promoting inclusion, innovation, and access in their personal and professional communities.
The ambassador congratulated him for winning the award and encouraged the fellows present to take cue from the success of Dr. Afi to consistently make more impact back home.
The group offered a present to Her Excellency, Hajia Alima Mahama made by a fellow, Maxwell Abotiyuure Awaafo founder and CEO of Lordline Afrik, an eco-friendly handmade baskets company, that creates unique pieces of art while providing sustainable employment opportunities. By tapping into the rich tradition of Bolgatanga basket weaving.
Leading the embassy staff to receive the Mandela Washington Fellows was Mr. Francis Gborglah, Head of Consulate at the Ghana embassy in the USA, and other staff.
The session ended with an inspiring and spirit-lifting poem for renowned Ghanaian poet and performing artist Ewura Adams Karim who also happens to be a 2024 fellow.
