Nine Emaswati youth depart for US leadership program

Mbabane – Nine young Emaswati leaders left the country yesterday to participate in the prestigious 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship, a flagship program of the U.S. government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).

Selected from hundreds of applicants, the fellows will spend six weeks at U.S. universities for leadership training in business, civic engagement, and public management. The program aims to equip participants with skills and networks to drive positive change in their communities upon return.

U.S. Embassy officials said the competitively chosen cohort represents Eswatini’s brightest young minds. The fellowship includes opportunities for professional development and cultural exchange with peers from across Africa.