2022 U.S. Department of State Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement for mid-career professionals (Fully Funded to the United States)

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 19 disability rights professionals (Fellows) from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia to participate in a 5-week Fellowship program in the US.

Apply for the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement to discuss and plan inclusive civic engagement projects with other emerging leaders from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and the US.

As a Fellow, you can learn approaches to inform your efforts to build and strengthen fully inclusive civic societies for people with disabilities in your home countries. The core of the program is an individual Fellowship with a university-based research and education center for disabilities or similar host site organization in the US. As a Fellow, you will select a key policy or practice issue related to disability and civic engagement in your home countries. This policy or practice issue will provide a focus for your individual Fellowship placement training and will inform the project that you will design and implement upon returning home. The Fellowship training will also include weekly leadership seminars, mentorship, and community service.

Eligibility Requirements

This is a merit-based competition open to candidates in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia.

To apply, you must meet the following eligibility criteria. You must:

• Be between the ages of 25 and 40
• Be a citizen and resident of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, or Ethiopia
• Be eligible to receive a US J-1 visa (Visit the US Department of State website for information about J-1 visas.)
• Be proficient in spoken English
• Be proficient in reading and writing English*
• Have at least 2 or more years of professional work experience
• Not currently participate in an academic, training, or research program in the US
• Be able to travel to the US for a 5-week Fellowship beginning in September 2022 or March 2023 (Please see the program dates below.)
• Commit to return to your home country for a period of 2 cumulative years after completing the Fellowship Program

Benefits:

As a Fellow, you will receive funding and support for:

• Passport application fees (if applicable)
• Visa expenses
• Round-trip travel between home country and the US
• Fellowship-related travel within the US
• Accident and health insurance for the duration of the Fellowship in the US
• Living accommodations in the US
• Living allowance to cover costs of meals, housing, and incidental expenses
• Cultural allowance to spend on books and attending cultural events
• Disability-related arrangements, if needed

When

• Fall (September 30, 2022 – November 3, 2022) plus travel time
• Spring (March 24, 2023 – April 28, 2023) plus travel time

Application Deadline: March 18, 2022

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage