Emerging Leaders in East Africa: Acumen Fellows Program 2025 (Fully Funded)
Overview of the East Africa Acumen Fellowship
The East Africa Acumen Fellowship actively empowers social entrepreneurs along the capital continuum, guiding them in their pursuit of transformational change. Through Acumen Academy, the program equips these leaders with both the technical and ethical skills necessary to craft scalable solutions to poverty, actively reimagining a brighter future.
The Fellowship Experience: A Path to Transformational Change
The East Africa Acumen Fellowship gathers exceptional individuals who embody an entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to tackling poverty. Fellows access critical tools and a vibrant community that enhances their leadership abilities, amplifies their impact, and drives transformational change across East Africa.
Encouragement to Apply
The program particularly encourages women and individuals identifying as or serving Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDP) to submit their applications.
Key Qualities of an Acumen Fellow
- Vision and Drive: You have a daring vision for your work and a desire to elevate it significantly.
- Focus on Dignity: Your organization empowers marginalized individuals by offering them the dignity of choice in jobs, education, products, and services.
- Urgency to Scale: You are determined to challenge the status quo and ready to expand your effective solutions.
- Commitment to Community: You seek to engage with a global network of peers who are passionate about addressing poverty and redefining success.
About the the East Africa Acumen Fellowship
The East Africa Acumen Fellowship draws from two decades of experience in nurturing social entrepreneurs. It provides access to essential leadership frameworks and fosters peer relationships that hold you accountable to your values and impact objectives.
Curriculum Highlights of the East Africa Acumen Fellowship
- Polarity Management: Master the art of navigating opposing viewpoints and mobilizing others toward collective goals.
- Good Society Readings: Investigate social justice and moral change through thought-provoking texts by influential figures like Plato, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Dr. Martin Luther King.
- Adaptive Leadership: Learn to identify stakeholders’ needs and navigate uncertainty to drive impactful change.
- Authentic Voice: Develop powerful narratives that inspire action, cultivate partnerships, and strengthen connections.
Structure of the Fellowship
- 6-Month Hybrid Program:
- One 3-day virtual orientation.
- Two 5-day in-person immersives.
- Three 4-hour learning labs with assignments.
The Power of Community
The Acumen Foundry alumni community, comprising over 1,600 members from 71 countries, has reached 50 million lives. Foundry members actively redefine food, education, and healthcare while transforming agriculture and climate solutions.
Success Stories of the East Africa Acumen Fellowship
- Building to Breakthrough: Kaushik and Sathya, 2014 Fellows, co-founded Kheyti, a social enterprise that supplies affordable greenhouses to smallholder farmers in India. Their Fellowship experience sharpened their product, secured funding, and garnered attention on platforms like TED, culminating in the EarthShot Prize.
- Rediscovering Purpose: Sabrina Habib, a 2020 Fellow and founder of Kidogo, Kenya’s largest childcare network, drew inspiration and support from her Fellowship experience. Her impactful work recently earned her a $20 million grant from Melinda French Gates.
Application Process
- Read the Applicant Toolkit: Equip yourself for the application process.
- Submit the Online Application: Applications are due by February 7, 2025.
- Participate in the Selection Conference: Shortlisted candidates will engage on April 10-11, 2025 (in-person or virtual).
- Start Your Fellowship Journey: Successful applicants will embark on their Fellowship on May 14, 2025.
Visit the Official Website HERE.
Find details about the Women Techsters Fellowship Class of 2025, open to Africans, HERE.
