The West Africa Acumen Fellowship is a rigorous leadership programme that brings together a cohort of extraordinary individuals working on poverty issues 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 programme, they join The Foundry, a community of like-minded colleagues 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, training and continuous learning as part of lifelong mentoring on their journey to create social change.
West Africa is at a crossroads - socio-political issues such as conflict, insecurity, corruption, poor governance and the economic consequences of COVID-19 have deepened poverty in the region. Breaking the status quo requires a new kind of leadership committed to building sustainable and resilient systems. The Acumen Academy in West Africa is filling the region's leadership gap by equipping and empowering a generation of leaders who can navigate the unknown, listen deeply, build trust and bring together the visions and priorities of multiple stakeholders in the service of our shared prosperity.
Scholarships CV
For over 17 years, the Fellowship's flagship curriculum has equipped fellow candidates with the knowledge, support systems and skills they need to lead social change, work across lines of difference and mobilise their communities.
Fellow candidates stay in their jobs and take part in a 6-month programme consisting of 5 seminars. The seminars are combined with group and individual online assignments designed to inspire an engaged community. The following provides a high-level overview:
- A 3-day virtual immersion
- Two 5-day full-time face-to-face immersives (8 hours of pre-work for each immersive consisting of individualised learning and group calls)
- Two 4-week virtual workshops (3 hours per week of pre-work, including group and individual calls, as well as individual learning)
Fellow candidates build trust and test new leadership skills within their cohort. This cohort-based model creates deep bonds that persist well beyond the programme, and fellows build peer relationships that prove invaluable in their journey to create greater impact.
Eligibility
- The Fellowship is looking for "builders" who are working to solve problems of poverty. Builders include founders, CEOs and senior leaders (COO, MD, etc.) in for-profit, non-profit or hybrid social enterprises, as well as intrapreneurs in the corporate or government sector. While these titles offer a glimpse into the types of roles that fellows play, what matters most is what you're building and the track record of your impact.
- Candidates must have a minimum of 5 years' professional experience and be able to demonstrate their commitment to solving poverty problems.
- Candidates must demonstrate their ability and willingness to donate (by contributing their knowledge, experience, networks and/or ideas) and receive support from the Foundry.
- Applicants must have a reliable internet connection, be fully available to participate throughout the programme and be able to participate in English.
- Candidates must reside in West Africa and the impact of their work must be concentrated in West Africa, particularly in our focus countries, which are: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia
Deadline: 10 December 2023
Click HERE to sign up
