Haak Madol Betiem is a professional public administrator. A strategic business management developer, Haak is an enthusiastic and charismatic visionary youth leader. He is self-motivated, results oriented, hardworking, and trustworthy with virtuous administrative and management skills. Haak has over four years of worked experience in the petroleum sector of Republic of South Sudan where he focused on petroleum market research and financial sale analysis and tracked progress on strategic business initiatives. Presently, Haak is a Strategic and Business Development Officer in Nile Petroleum Corporation, a government owned national corporation, where he support deals execution from beginning to end, including profiling targets, identifying deal risks, proposing deal structures, participating in negotiations, performing segment research, and gathering market intelligence for the corporation. Haak Madol, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and Management from Kampala University in Uganda, where he majored in Strategic Management. He also holds a professional Advanced Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation. Haak is dedicated to his advocacy for socioeconomic and political accountability in both public and private sector and inclusive decisions making. Upon the completion of the Mandela Fellowship, Haak plans to continue his work in the petroleum sector while advocating for socioeconomic and political accountability in services delivery.

Naa Dedei Tagoe is a Geomatics Engineer specializing in photogrammetry, GIS, and remote sensing. She is currently a lecturer at the University of Mines and Technology in Ghana with over six years of teaching and research experience. She has been involved in the training of small-scale miners in resource optimization and tailings disposal practices. Naa is a volunteer worker who assists financially-challenged women in mining communities to acquire employable skills and is involved in STEM and gender awareness programs for girls. Naa Dedei is a Schlumberger Faculty for the Future Fellow who holds a Master of Science degree in Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics from the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences in Germany. She believes that Africa needs to increase awareness of its traditions and cultural heritage, and preserve them for the future. She has currently completed her doctoral studies at the University of Cape Town where she focused on extracting spatial information of cultural heritage structures from panoramic images. She will be graduating in 2017. Upon completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she plans to apply the training in public management and leadership in her career and to promote human development and environmental sustainability through teaching, research and community development.

Ms. Linat Kundaribuo Osuman is a Teacher with over six years of experience in the field of education. She holds a Bachelor's of Education degree from the University of Education, Winneba. Linat is also a gender activist and campaigner for equal rights and opportunities for girls, young women, and teenagers in Ghana. She is the founder and Executive Director of Teen Talk Ghana, a well-established NGO that champions the rights of teenagers and young women. Upon her return as a Mandela Washington Fellow, Linat plans to use her experience from the public management track to enhance the quality of education in her region, and train and empower young fellows.

Joel Kiconco Ankunda has four years' experience as a lawyer, offering access to justice to persons who cannot afford lawyers. Currently, Joel is the Director of Know the Law Prison’s Project, an initiative geared towards helping inmates that cannot afford lawyers get access to justice through legal representation. Joel a holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law. He is determined to restore hope, dignity, and reformation to inmates through legal education and human rights to ensure that justice prevails. Additionally, Joel serves as a member of the board of directors of Senior Citizens AgeCare Foundation - Uganda and is a co-founder of a community-based youth project called Agarihamwe nigatta-eiguffa in Kayonza, Kanungu District, which trains youth to become job creators rather than job seekers through tea planting as a form of sustainable income generation in agriculture. Joel is passionate about community transformation, rule of law, public policy advocacy, and access to justice as a human right. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, he intends to engage in activism for the realization of human rights for the most disadvantaged people. Joel aspires to be a legislator in Parliament in order to influence policies that advance a better criminal justice system.

Codney Choolwe Munkombwe is passionate about healthcare provision and disease prevention. For more than three years now, he has been working for the Ministry of Health in Zambia as a Clinical Officer. His job hinges on providing primary healthcare services. He manages HIV/AIDS, tropical diseases, and malnutrition cases as well as treating victims of gender-based violence and linking them to legal aid. Codney recently co-founded a non-profit NGO which is dedicated to empowering youth, women, and girls with life skills to help them become self-reliant and effective members of the community. During his free time, he teaches girls about menstrual hygiene, campaigns against early marriages, and encourages boys and girls to stay in school. He also offers educational support to orphans and vulnerable children using monthly contributions along with his friends. Codney hopes to use the fellowship as an opportunity to hone his skills and enhance his community programs upon returning back home.

Mario Changala has over five years of experience in Agricultural Extension Service Delivery, specifically focusing on rural agricultural development. Currently, Mario is the Senior Agricultural Officer for Lunga District under the Ministry of Agriculture, where he focuses on coordinating the provisions of advisory services at the district level to facilitate the dissemination of information. Mario is a committee member for the Samfya Youth Academy (SAYOCA) and opened a women and youth farmer field/business school specializing in livestock and vegetable production. Mario holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Science with a bias in Agricultural Economics and Extension Services. He is committed to reducing income disparities for women and youth. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Mario plans to expand the membership for the farmer field/business school in order to accommodate more women and youths to take up the farming trade. He plans to continue to work in supporting SAYOCA.

Leela Keculah Zaizay has over seven years of experience in both preventive and curative health care delivery services. She has a special interest in nutrition, public health, and agriculture and is dedicated to using her knowledge and expertise in improving the lives of the most vulnerable groups, particularly children, youth, and women. She currently works for the United Nations World Food Program as the agency’s Nutritionist in Liberia. She is tasked with overseeing the design, planning, and implementation of its nutrition programs as well as strengthening strategic partnerships. Leela holds Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Makerere in Uganda and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Nursing from the University of Cuttington in Bong County, Liberia. She holds certificates in Project Planning and Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Caring for Infant and Children with Acute Malnutrition. Upon returning home from the fellowship, Leela hopes to continue with her activities in the area of nutrition by expanding support to the Government of Liberia in Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN). She wants to establish nutrition clubs in schools, foster nutrition research and advocacy, and support women and youth advancement through nutrition-sensitive agriculture empowerment programs.

Adolphus Gblorso has over four years of experience in community organizing, specifically focusing on gender equality and human rights initiatives. Currently, Adolphus works for Oxfam in Liberia as the Gender Justice Coordinator, where he coordinates the design and implementation of programs that promote gender equality, women's economic empowerment, and access to justice. Adolphus manages Haki Mkononi, a women's legal empower project which promotes the domestication and implementation of the African Women Protocol/Maputo Protocol in Liberia. Adolphus holds a specialized Master's degree in Private Law from the Abdelmalek Essaadi University in Morocco, where he focused on Gender and Human Rights, and a Bachelor’s in Law from the Hassan II University-Mohammedia. He is driven by his commitment and passion for social justice and the rule of law. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, he plans to expand his community initiatives which focus on alternative disputes resolution to promote sustainable peace building and harmonious co-existence among community dwellers.

Sherifath Mama Chabi has over two years of experience in human nutrition, especially in public health nutrition. Currently, Sherifath is a research assistant at the Faculty of Agricultural Science, School of Human Nutrition and Food Science where she focuses on some research projects including stunting prevention among children, mapping the decision making process in health and nutrition, nutrition issues among teenagers and all vulnerable group in Benin. As nutritionist, Sherifath also worked as a volunteer at the Departmental Hospital of Borgou/Alibori on children's acute malnutrition. She holds a Bachelor's degree and is completing her Master's degree in Human Nutrition at the University of Abomey-Calavi where she emphasizes on fighting under nutrition in Benin. Sherifath is motivated by helping the community to enhance their own nutrition status and as a researcher and helping stakeholders to choose the best policy to reduce malnutrition. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Sherifath, with skills learned on public management and community development, plans to continue her activities by engaging and empowering communities to improve their own quality of life, through the application of community development concepts and strategies.

Jacob Hamutenya has over five years of experience in the agriculture sector, focusing on food quality analysis and agribusiness, especially the fresh produce marketing space. Currently, Jacob is a Regional Manager for the state-owned Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) in Namibia where he promotes market access for the local fresh produce farmers by providing cold storage and marketing facilities. He also facilitates farmers' capacity building through trainings and provides technical and logistical support in order to maintain quality, reduce post-harvest losses, and to ensure consistent supply to the markets. Jacob is committed to sustainable utilization of natural resources especially in horticulture sub-sector to ensure sustainable agribusiness models. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Jacob plans to continue working in agricultural marketing to enhance market access for local producers and promote value addition.

Sinai Bakanibona from Burundi was exiled to Mtabila Refugees camp in Tanzania for 11 years, with his father, a Pentecostal pastor. He completed all of secondary schooling there. Afterwards, Sinai attended University of Burundi where he studied in the English Language Teaching Department at the Institute of Applied Pedagogy. Afterwards, he studied Administration at National College of Administration (ENA). Sinai has taught at primary and secondary schools. In 2010, Sinai was selected as the Pedagogical Advisor and Curricula Designer for the Ministry of Education. In 2014, Sinai founded a non-profit organization, Action for the Promotion of the Education (APE), to sensitize Burundians the role of education in sustainable development. APE helps vulnerable students to get school materials, organizes in-service workshops for unqualified teachers, and trains students on peace education. In 2015, Sinai went to South Korea for a two-month training of on Global Citizenship Education (GCED) organized by UNESCO and the government of South Korea through Korea International Cooperation Agency.

Thierry is a young Cameroonian with over 5 years of working experience providing financial and technical support to seed growers through the National Seed Fund of the Cameroon Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, where he is currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer. He is very passionate about agricultural and rural development policies as they relate to sustainable development goals. The National Seed Fund provides high quality agricultural seeds, specifically adapted to the Cameroonian climate and terrain in order to maximize crop yields and productivity. This young leader has over 5 years of experience as an Information Technology Specialist in an international telecommunications company in Yaounde, during which time he started the development of a web platform, www.yoopifarm.com, which provides farmers equal access to information about innovative agricultural techniques and practices, government subsidies opportunities, and more. Thierry holds two professional Master’s degrees: one in Diplomacy and International Relations from the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC) and another in Computer Science from the University of Yaounde and is currently completing an academic program to become an expert in public financial management. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Thierry plans to help develop and promote better ICT tools to increase agricultural productivity and reduce inequalities among urban and rural population.

Ettamba Agborndip is a medical doctor, a fellow of Moremi Initiative Leadership Empowerment and Development, and a Co-founder and Project Manager of Health Education and Research Organisation (HERO) Cameroon. Her organization aims at creating health awareness of the growing burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in Cameroon. She is passionate about maternal and child health, and through her organization, she has been able to educate thousands of women and young girls on menstruation and menstrual hygiene, breastfeeding, immunization and HIV/AIDS. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she plans to continue community sensitization and education, in a bid to improve maternal and child health in Cameroon.

Hayat Mohammedseid has over four years' experience in structural design and girls' education advocacy. Currently, Hayat is a Structural Engineer and Supervisor at the Ethiopian Construction Design and Supervision Works Corporation (ECDSWC). Hayat holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the Ethiopian Institute of Technology (EIT-M). She has designed and supervised different infrastructures that serve the public. She also works to create awareness on equal employment rates and wages for men and women. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Hayat plans to continue her research on low cost building and environmental safety.

Azeb Tesema is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Mekelle University in Ethiopia. She holds a Master's degree in Public Health and a Bachelor's in Environmental Health. She received a diploma from the Senior Leadership Program at Yale University and a certificate for Young African Leaders in Kenya. She has experience teaching, researching, training and providing community-based health services.

Bigue Sane is an accounting and finance professional who has over eight years of experience in the areas of accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, and administration. Over the years, she has acquired strong knowledge on financial principles and procedures and is very familiar with applicable UN policies and procedures. Currently, she is working in the Administrative and Finance Unit of the International Institute for Educational Planning of UNESCO in Dakar. In her daily duties, she proactively supports the program budget planning and monitors operations management while executing key tasks related to treasury, accounts payable, procurement, financial reporting, contract management and project implementations. Bigue holds a Master's degree in Finance and Accounting and has knowledge in the application of International Accounting Standards (IASs) as well as the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) applicable to the United Nations. Bigue is committed to social justice matters and is a strong advocate of transparency. Part of her professional goal is to become a member of the senior management team in international institutions in order to contribute to the financial sustainability of the programs.

The Honorable Motheo Mtimkulu is a Democratic Alliance (DA) Councillor in and the Deputy Chief Whip of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Motheo began his involvement with the DA, South Africa’s official opposition party, in 2014, first as a Senior Parliamentary Media Officer before moving onto becoming the Head of Campaign Communications for the successful Tshwane Mayoral Campaign. He has extensive work experience, first as an attorney within a major continental law firm, and then as Assistant Vice President in the Group Company Secretariat division within a global bank. He left the mass earning potential in law and banking to pursue politics in an attempt to becoming intimately involved in the events that shape his country and its political discourse. Motheo is a moderate social and political activist who believes that a paralyzed citizenry is a hallmark of democratic degeneration within the state. He hopes to spark debate, thereby allowing South Africans to reclaim their destiny after years of delegating it to the politicians of the day.

Ilza Le Minnie has 5 years of experience as an attorney, representing indigent and vulnerable persons in her community with legal advice and representation in court. Currently, Ilza is a Legal Practitioner with Legal Aid South Africa, where she is focused on assisting persons in her community with criminal matters in both district and regional court. She also deals with civil matters including family law, with a focus on divorces and children’s court matters. Ilza holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, where she majored in Advanced Family and Advanced Criminal Law. Ilza is very passionate about restorative justice and would like to see a reform in her country as well as to change the global criminal justice system from one of punishment to one of correction and reconciliation. She believes this can be done by proper enforcement of the law and Constitution. Driven to ensure the transparency of local government, she wants to make certain that community members are involved in the legal processes to ensure their rights are enforced and protected. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Ilza plans to continue her work in restorative justice and government accountability within her community.

Thamer Abdalla is a microbiologist from Sudan. He has over eight years’ experience in private companies and the public sector, including production plants, hospitals, and governmental organizations. He has gained experience in the field of food safety and products’ quality control and assurance. He holds a Master’s degree in Quality Control from Al-Zaiem Al-Azhari University in Sudan. Thamer currently works with a governmental organization protecting and preserving consumer safety and health as well the national economy through the development of standards specification for commodities and services. This organization also strengthens controls over exports and imports and enhances the competitiveness of national products. Upon the completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, he looks forward to continuing his public sector work serving communities and improving conditions via the transfer of knowledge and experience. He believes the fellowship will enhance his capacity and skills and he will gain valuable international exposure that will enable him to contribute effectively to sustainable public health in Sudan and beyond.

Romuald Ndong Assoumou holds a Master's degree in African Societies and Civilizations history from Omar Bongo University in Libreville. He also has a degree from the National Superior School which trains teachers in Gabon. He has four years of experience teaching History and Geography at Mikolongo High School. Romuald is passionate about education, training and communication, and youth empowerment. He is a part of an NGO called the Feminist Activists Coalition (FemAct) which focuses their work on the empowerment and education of young girls. He is a radio host at Urban FM where he broadcasts a program to make political information easier for young people to understand.

Diana Tabuche works in agriculture, generally focusing on the use of modern technologies and farm practices to increase food production. Currently, Diana is final year student in the field of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya. She works in the design, fabrication, and maintenance of farm machinery, production structures, irrigation systems, utilization of renewable energy technologies and environmental conservation. She is a founding member of the Dixiene Engineering Girl Group that focuses on encouraging girls to take on technical courses that have previously been dominated by men. This group organizes and holds charity events to help the less fortunate around the university. Additionally, she teaches smart agricultural practices to students in her community in her free time. Diana is driven to increase food production to eradicate famine and ensure food security. She emphasizes on keeping the environment clean by encouraging the community to embrace modern farming practices and utilization of cheap readily available renewable energy for production. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she plans to start farming projects and an organization that will teach smart farming practices to the younger generation in her community.

Mercyline Lubia is a State Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General with three years’ experience in employment and labor relations, insurance, and commercial law. She is currently deployed to the Business Registration Service, a state corporation that registers and regulates businesses in Kenya. Her duties include the registration of companies, and advising on and participating in the formulation of business policies, rules, and regulations in Kenya. She is a member of the Law Society of Kenya, and Ethics and Practice Standards Committee, where she is tasked with enforcing ethics and practice standards in the legal profession. Mercyline is studying for her Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration and holds an LLB degree from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. She also has a postgraduate diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law. She is motivated by the desire to eliminate corruption and ensure efficient service delivery in the Kenya public sector. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Mercyline plans to engage more actively in the formulation and implementation of policies and laws that promote transparency and efficient service delivery to Kenyan citizens.

Sidney Chahonyo has over 13 years’ experience in the public, private, and social impact fields specifically related to banking, finance, human resources, agribusiness, and cancer-related activities. Sidney holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business & Marketing from Edith Cowan University and currently serves as the Board Chair of Hope for Cancer Kids (H4CK), a Non-Profit Organization registered in Kenya. His role is to provide leadership and direction, ensuring policies and procedures are adhered to while fostering efficient and effective delivery of the organizations programs. As a cancer survivor, he is committed to improving the experience of people battling the disease especially in rural areas. He is passionate about creating lasting social impact with regard to holistic cancer care in Kenya. Upon returning home, Sidney hopes to be a part of the growing revolution in cancer care by creating the environment needed to provide accessible and affordable cancer treatment to all. His goals include raising awareness, promoting early diagnosis and treatment, providing clinical and palliative care to patients and their families, developing regional cancer centers, and fostering research and advocacy.

Hilma Ndinelago Moses works for the African Union Commission (AUC) as a Human Rights Associate in the Department of Political Affairs’ Human Rights and Transitional Justice Cluster in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is the founder of a social impact initiative called Namibian Opportunities. This online platform provides access to life-changing opportunities taking place around the world and within Namibia. It provides developmental support for young Namibians who venture in advocacy and activism work and tackles issues such as human rights, peace and security, conflict resolution and mediation, environmental issues, good governance, and the fight against poverty and hunger. She is a One Young World (OYW) Ambassador and the former Vice President of the University of Namibia Student Representative Council. Hilma’s academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Honors degree from the University of Namibia and a post graduate Diploma in Disarmament, Non-proliferation, and Development from the United Nations Mandated University for Peace (UPEACE). Hilma is a scholar in human rights, transitional justice, rule of law, good governance, democratic processes and peace and security issues. Hilma aspires to be a Rule of Law Practitioner to help developing countries create a unified and robust system of law.

Dr. Joseph Lavela Saysay is an agricultural economist at the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Republic of Liberia. He focuses on designing agricultural policies and a wide range of programmatic issues that affect crop and livestock production and marketing. These issues include value chain analysis, evaluation, and development research. He is currently in charge of the implementation of the President’s 150-day deliverable and is a member of the team drafting the five years policy and strategy (Liberia Agricultural Transformation Agenda (LATA) at the MOA. Dr. Saysay has volunteered his service by leading a Moring Project in rural communities to improve public health and the lives of rural dwellers in Liberia. He aspires to improve productivity and profitability of rice. He also wants to create credit grantee methods for farmers and organize them into cooperatives to address issues of self-sufficiency, food security, and poverty. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Sokoine University of Agriculture.