The West Africa Acumen Fellowship

Application Deadline: December 10, 2023

Acumen Academy is the world’s school for social change. The Acumen Academy inspire the world to build solutions to poverty and equip determined individuals using the knowledge and tools of business grounded in community and the practices of moral leadership.

The West Africa Acumen Fellowship is a rigorous leadership program that brings together a cohort of extraordinary individuals working on problems of poverty and equips them with the knowledge, skills, and community to strengthen their leadership and scale their ventures to create meaningful change in West Africa. 

After Fellow Candidates complete the program they join The Foundry, a community of like-minded peers who are working across sectors and geographies to build a world based on dignity. As part of this diverse community committed to sharing ideas and experiences, they gain access to capital, coaching, and continuous learning as part of lifelong accompaniment on their journey to creating social change. 

Eligibility Requirements

• The Fellowship looks for “builders” who are working to solve problems of poverty.  Builders include founders, CEOs, and senior leaders (COO, MD, etc.) at for-profit, nonprofit, or hybrid social enterprises as well as corporate or government sector intrapreneurs. While these titles offer a glimpse of the types of roles Fellows play, what matters most is what you’re building and the track record of your impact.
• Applicants must have a minimum of 5 years of professional experience and should be able to demonstrate their commitment to solving issues of poverty.
• Applicants should demonstrate their ability and willingness to give (contributing their knowledge, experiences, networks, and/or ideas) and receive support from the Foundry.
• Applicants must have a reliable internet connection, be fully available to participate throughout the entirety of the program, and be able to participate in English. 
• Applicants must reside in West Africa and the impact of their work should be focused on West Africa particularly our focus countries which are: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Gambia

Benefits

Connect with deep local and diverse global community

Expand your network of social innovators for support and collaboration

Secure early-stage funding

Pitch for early-stage catalytic capital through Acumen Angels

Leverage expert support to scale impact

Get expert coaching and consulting from our partners

Elevate your impact in the public eye

Gain recognition for your work to amplify impact across new domains

Learn to think differently

Solve challenges with tools and learning resources purpose-built for social innovators

Currriculum

Fellow Candidates remain in their jobs and participate in a 6 month program comprising 5 seminars.  The seminars are paired with online group and individual assignments designed to inspire an engaged community. The following provides a high level overview:

• One 3-day virtual immersive  
• Two 5-day full-time in-person immersive (8 hours of pre-work for each immersive consisting of self-paced learning and group calls)
• Two 4-week virtual workshops (3 hours a week of pre-work including group and individual calls as well as self-paced learning)

Seminar Location

The seminars are typically held in or around major cities across the program region. In the past, they have been held in:

• East Africa Program: Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, and Dar es Salaam
• India Program: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Mysore
• Pakistan Program: Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Murree, Peshawar, and Bahawalpur 
• West Africa Program: Lagos and Accra
• Colombia Program: Bogota, Cali, Medellín, Ráquira, and Sasaima
• Malaysia Program: Kuala Lumpur, Pahang and Perak

Individuals will be notified on the exact dates and logistics of the seminars upon being selected as a Fellow.

Application Process

1. Submit the Online Application: December 10, 2023
2. Participate in the Selection Conference: February 9-10, 2024
3. Start your Fellowship Journey: February 26, 2024

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Acumen West Africa Fellows Programme 2024