Akili Dada is an international, award-winning leadership incubator cultivating transformative leadership in a generation of young African women. Akili Dada applies a holistic approach to educating and cultivating leadership in adolescent girls and young women ages 13 – 30, employing four key strategies to nurture growth and meaningful impact; financial investment, leadership development, feminist movement building and advocacy, and mentorship.
By selecting from and building the capacity of some of Africa’s most innovative young women, Akili Dada is meeting the urgent need for more African women in leadership as well as the overarching need for creative and empathetic leadership that holds justice at its core.
Community Leaders Project (CLP)
Akili Dada acknowledges the role of community leaders in facilitating change and designing solutions to challenges that communities face. The Community Leaders Project (CLP) grows out of the belief that young women, especially from underserved communities at the grassroots, are best positioned to address such challenges.
The project aims to amplify the already existing work being carried out by social entrepreneurs in the identified counties with leadership skills to enable them further influence change and grow their enterprises.
Akili Dada is seeking to invest in 30 young women from three counties; Kilifi, Kisumu and Tharaka Nithi, for a period of 2 years to develop their leadership skills and grow their enterprises’ sustainability.
Benefits of the program Selected young women will have access to;
- Thematic training and development to expand their knowledge in leadership and social enterprise management.
- A network of mentors to support young women’s personal and professional growth
- Seed funding to develop and grow their enterprises
- Akili Dada’s network of funding and development partners
- Learning visits to organizations in the social enterprise sector
Eligibility
- A young woman aged 25-30 years old.
- Currently residing in Kilifi, Kisumu or Tharaka Nithi Counties.
- Running a social enterprise i.e. a business with a social change goal.
- Running an enterprise that has been in operation for at least 1 year, but not more than 2 years.
- The founder or co-founder of the enterprise.
- Proficient in English.
- Passionate about transformative leadership and sustainable community development.
Note: Your enterprise should be operating in Kisumu, Tharaka Nithi or Kilifi Counties. Applicants should demonstrate how their enterprises contribute to the attainment of the UN sustainable development goals (SDG), Applicants whose enterprises address goal 2,3,5,8,9,12 and 16 are especially encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Applications are available online via this link here, by request on email or by visiting the gender office in the following county offices: Kisumu, Kilifi and Tharaka Nithi. Completed application forms must be submitted along with two recommendation letters and a CV/portfolio.
All applications and supporting documents must be submitted online or dropped at the county offices.
For further inquiries call +254-742640948 or email info@akilidada.org. The deadline for completed applications is Friday, 6th September 2019.
