Application Deadline: 19th February 2021
The Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) is an international leadership program that cultivates the next generation of leaders to contribute to the development of sub-Saharan Africa. AAI Scholars have lost one or both parents and are committed to returning to sub-Saharan Africa to initiate change, innovation, and development.
The AAI provides access to full financial support to study at university abroad (equivalent to an undergraduate degree), including tuition, room, travel costs and other necessary fees. The program has three stages which are described on the next page.
Criteria/Eligibility
The application is open to those who;
- Have lost one or both parents.
- Have completed secondary school and passed national secondary school examination (technical and vocational qualifications not accepted) within the last two years (any date after 1st September 2018, including all of 2019 and 2020) or will have completed secondary school and received final exam results before February 28th, 2021.
- Have citizenship and have completed/are completing high school in one of the following countries: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, CAR, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, DRC, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Kenya, Kingdom of
eSwatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Seychelles, Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. - Were born after 1st September 1998.
- Do not have the means to attend university abroad without external financial support.
- Are proficient in English or French.
- Are regularly ranked in the top 10% of their class during their last 2 or 3 years of secondary school. Students without strong grades are unlikely to be successful.
- Are able to participate in the two Ashinaga preparatory programs, over the course of one year, before attending university.
- Are committed to return home, or to subSaharan Africa, and contribute to society in sub-Saharan Africa after graduating from university.
- Have no dependents who could interfere with academic progress.
- Have a good enough health condition to be able to study abroad.
- Study Camp and Preparation Camp
– Ashinaga will select students from each sub-Saharan African country to participate in a Study Camp in Uganda or Senegal from July to December 2021.
Anglophone students will normally attend the Camp in Uganda, with Francophone students attending the Camp in Senegal. During the Study Camp, students are assisted in their academic preparation, university applications (to either Japan, the U.K., the
U.S.A., or Europe), career planning, and leadership development. After completing the Study Camp, the students will progress to a second camp called Preparation Camp. This happens between April and June 2022, although the dates are subject to confirmation.
Students meet again to prepare for the social, cultural, and academic differences they will discover abroad. Students will then proceed to university in August or September of 2022. All of the costs during both camps are fully covered by Ashinaga.
Students who wish to join our Japanese language track, in which they study in the Japanese language at a university in Japan, will follow a similar schedule, however they will focus on intensive Japanese language learning throughout the Study Camp. After the Study Camp, they will move to Japan to spend one or two years at a language school prior to starting their university studies.
- During University
The AAI helps students access full financial support to study abroad. The support covers the first possible qualification that can be earned, and the costs of a foundation or preparatory course will also be covered if required. Ashinaga has regional offices to support students during studies in Japan, the U.K., the U.S.A., France and Brazil. Scholars will participate in a mandatory internship in their home country or
sub-Saharan Africa and join Ashinaga’s leadership development programs. The AAI does not support studies for a second degree or master’s degree. - After Graduation
Scholars have the responsibility to return to their home countries or sub-Saharan Africa within four years after graduating and contribute to
the country/region while living there for at least one year. They will have to contact Ashinaga during this period to provide information about
their activity and residency during this period.
How to Apply
There are two stages to the Ashinaga Africa Initiative application process;
- Registration: all applicants must first confirm their eligibility by registering for the program. Only students who register for the program and are deemed eligible (based on criteria/eligibility on previous page) will receive the application form.
- Application: all students who register for the program will receive an email with a link to the application form within 1 month of their registration if they are eligible for the program.
There are three ways to register for the program: via online website, via email, or via post. Please choose one method and submit all the correct documents before the deadline. If you choose to apply by post, please ensure you send your registration by January 15th 2021 to guarantee it arrives on time.
- 19th February 2021 – Deadline to Register for the Program
- 1st March 2021 – Deadline to submit application
- Late March – Shortlisted applicants invited to Ashinaga Assessment (Interview and Exam)
- April 2021 – Ashinaga Assessment conducted during this month
- May 2021 – Selection results announced
- June 2021 – Selected applicants prepare for Study Camp in Uganda or Senegal
- July 2021 – Study Camp Begins
Documents to Submit
- Registration
- Copy of national ID card or passport.
- Copy of term reports / high school for your final year of school.
- Copy of final Secondary School Examination Certificate**
**For students receiving their examination results after February 19th 2021 and before February 28th 2021 we will ask you to send your examination certificate if you are invited to submit the application for the program.
- Application
- Copy of all term reports / high school transcripts from the last 2 years.
- Copy of final Secondary School Examination Certificate (if you did not submit it with your registration form)
- Copy of academic transcripts / diplomas from university / post-secondary institution, (if applicable).
- Copy of death certificate of deceased parent(s), including the deceased parent’s name, or alternative official documentation proving the death of parent(s) or orphan status.
- Copy of birth certificate of the applicant.
- Copies of certificates for extracurricular activities, training courses, jobs or commitments (if applicable).
- A letter of recommendation from a principal or school teacher. This should be inclusive of their email address, phone number and must contain information about your performance and character whilst at secondary school. All recommendation letters should contain an official signature or stamp.
Note: All documents must be submitted in French or English if possible. Use the Gregorian (Western) calendar to fill in the application.
Apply Now for the Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders for Africa Scholarship Program 2021
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