Application Deadline: May 31, 2024,
Applications are now open for the 2025 U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement.
The Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement is a professional program funded by the US Department of State for emerging leaders in Africa to exchange and implement best practices for inclusive civic engagement. The program will support approximately 12 mid-career disability rights professionals (Fellows) from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia to participate in a five-week Fellowship Program in Spring 2024 in the US.
Fellowship Details
- Begin Your US Fellowship: Participate in virtual sessions with program staff to prepare for your Fellowship experience and travel to the US.
- Engage in Your Fellowship: Work with your US host organization, sharing insights and best practices on disability inclusion across different cultures.
- Develop an Action Plan: Collaborate with US colleagues to develop an action plan for a follow-on project that you will implement upon returning home.
- Attend the Professional Fellows Congress: Connect and network with more than one hundred Professional Fellows from around the world during a four-day conference in Washington, D.C.
- Sustain Your Project: After your Fellowship in the US, your US host might visit your country to provide additional support for implementing your follow-on project.
Eligibility Requirements
This is a merit-based competition open to candidates from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia. To apply, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Age: Between 25 and 40 as of the first day of the Fellowship Program.
- Citizenship: Citizen and resident of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, or Ethiopia.
- Visa Eligibility: You should be eligible to receive a US J-1 visa. (Visit the US Department of State website for information about J-1 visas.)
- Language: Proficiency in spoken and written English*
- Work Experience: Minimum of two years of professional work experience.
- Travel: Ability to travel to the US for the five-week program duration.
Benefits
As a Fellow, you will receive funding and support for:
- Round-trip travel between home country and the US
- Fellowship-related travel within the US
- Travel interruption insurance
- Accident and health insurance for the duration of the Fellowship in the US
- Living accommodations in the US
- Living allowance to cover meals, local transportation, and incidental expenses
- Cultural allowance to spend on books and attending cultural events
- Disability-related arrangements, if needed
- An Internet hotspot
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement