The US Department of State funds the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement, which is a professional program for new leaders in Africa to share and use best practices for inclusive civic engagement.
The program encourages participants to share and implement best practices for inclusive civic participation. This program will give financial help to about twelve disability rights professionals (Fellows) from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia so that they may participate in a Fellowship Program that is located in the United States and lasts for a total of five weeks.
Eligibility
• You must be a citizen of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, or Ethiopia and be between the ages of 25 and 40.
• People who are trying to increase the civic engagement opportunities available to individuals with disabilities in their native nation or in their local community.
• You should have at least two years of professional experience working in the field of disabilities or on problems related to the inclusion of people who have disabilities.
• You are a person who is interested in advancing their career in the field of inclusive civic engagement by participating in a Fellowship program that lasts for five weeks in the United States.
In addition, there will be weekly lectures, mentoring, and community service as part of the Fellowship training.
• You may start getting ready for your US Fellowship experience and trip to the US by participating in virtual sessions with program administrators.
• Take an active role in your Fellowship: Throughout your individualized Fellowship placement, you will be expected to collaborate with the American host organization. Share your knowledge and the most effective approaches to disability inclusion across different cultural settings.
• Create a plan: Work with your coworkers in the United States to devise a plan of action for the follow-up project you will be doing as soon as you go back to your own country.
• Participate in the Professional Fellows Congress by Attending: At a conference that lasts for four days and takes place in Washington, District of Columbia, you will have the opportunity to meet and network with more than one hundred Professional Fellows from all over the world.
• Support your project: When you have completed your Fellowship in the United States, your host mentor from the United States may pay you a visit in your home country to offer further assistance with the execution of your follow-up project.
Benefits
• As a Fellow, you will be eligible to receive money and assistance for the following:
• travel in both directions between the traveler’s home country and the United States
• associated travel expenses within the United States
• Insurance for trips that are interrupted
• Accident and health insurance coverage throughout the entirety of the Fellowship year spent in the United States
• Residences in the United States of America
• A living stipend that will cover expenses such as food, local transit, and other costs
• A cultural stipend for the purchase of books and participation in cultural activities
• accommodations for people with disabilities, if required
• An Internet hotspot
Your Individual Fellowship Placement will begin after you have arrived at your US Host Organization.
Meeting with Fall 2022 Fellow Salome N Gitau from Kenya is Boston’s Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh (right), who is from Kenya (left).
• Spend a total of four weeks with the organization that has been assigned as your US host.
• Study inclusive civic engagement policies and practices alongside your US colleagues as you collaborate on this project.
• Create a game plan for your subsequent project with the help of your host mentor.
• Engage in activities such as volunteer work, community service, or others of a similar nature.
Participate in various social and cultural events.
• Participate in the Weekly Seminars provided during the Fellowship Placement Training.
• Engage in video conferences with other Fellows, which are moderated by program personnel; share your experiences and the things you’ve learned through Fellowship training and activities with other Fellows.
• Participate in mentorship programs with other people your own age, and both provide and receive assistance from other people your own age.
• Attendees will be able to hear from special guests who will talk on a variety of topics regarding inclusive civic involvement.
Program Details
• It is anticipated that the Fellowship Program will get underway around the 8th of May in 2024 and continue until about the 13th of June in that same year. Please take into consideration the possibility that the start and conclusion dates of the fellowship will be adjusted somewhat.
• Unless otherwise noted, the training for the Fellowship will take place in person in the United States. In the event that COVID-19 or other events linked to it cause travel limitations, we will run the program remotely.
Application may be submitted by clicking Here.
The deadline is May 15th, 2023.
