Emerging Public Leaders Celebrates Africa Youth Month
Emerging Public Leaders is excited to kick off Africa Youth Month - a time to highlight and celebrate the powerful contributions of young people across the continent. All month long, we’re shining a light on the next generation of public sector leaders, the mentors guiding them, and the partners helping make their impact possible.
As Africa Youth Day (November 1) launches Africa Youth Month, an initiative of the African Union, we celebrate the unstoppable energy, promise, and proven impact of young local leaders - the heart of Emerging Public Leaders’ mission. Across Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and beyond, we partner with five public administrations, collectively serving 120 million people and giving young Africans the tools and opportunities to drive change from within.
Our network includes 721 fellows and alumni placed in 115 government ministries and 14 civil society and private sector organizations. More than 52% of current fellows are women, and 78% of recent graduates transition directly into full-time public service roles, showing a clear trajectory from opportunity to sustained impact. In 2026, we will welcome another 180 future leaders into our expanding movement - reinforcing a culture of inclusion, integrity, and direct community engagement.
Transforming Lives: Stories of Impact
Take Griselder Adimazoya, a woman fellow in Ghana. “In this country, it’s not always about your qualifications. If you don’t have the right network, you won’t even hear about opportunities,” she shared. At EPL, Griselder gained practical leadership experience and meaningful mentorship. “Now, I’m learning through doing every single day… EPL didn’t just give me hope, it gave me the skills, the exposure, and the confidence to build a meaningful career.” Today, she leads with dignity and purpose - just one example of how we break historic barriers for women and marginalized youth.
We also celebrate alumni like Dahnu Mianyen in Liberia, who rose from a Fellowship placement in the Office of the President to become Deputy Director-General of a national agency. “I was privileged to have been assigned…where I was given the opportunity to share my opinion on policy documents and make inputs in speeches and programs. This program is exceptional. If it had not been for EPL, I would not be sitting in the current seat I am in, making administrative, policy, and financial decisions. My success is attributed to God first, and secondly to this program.” Career development and ongoing support fuel real, systemic transformation across sectors - making our impact durable and wide-reaching.
Anna Nlakpe Libanla graduated as part of the sixth cohort in Ghana in July 2025 and now works for the National STEM Resource Unit.
Liberia’s eleventh cohort visited many government offices and met with community leaders on their immersive training exercise in 2024.
Why Support EPL Youth Leaders in Africa?
Emerging Public Leaders invests in proven, community-driven young leaders who understand the needs of their citizens and the barriers they face accessing basic services. Our local leaders are adaptive, authentic, and deeply trusted; they drive institutional reforms, steward public resources, and deliver inclusive services to children, youth, and families. For potential supporters looking to invest in the most meaningful long-term outcomes, these young leaders are the right partners - empowered not by prescriptive mandates, but by ongoing accompaniment and trust.
Recent external evaluations confirm the model: fellows consistently improve service delivery, strengthen public accountability, and advance SDG-aligned priorities. A majority of our graduates now shape policy, lead teams, and bring innovation to public institutions and civil society. Every statistic is matched with stories of resilience, hope, and concrete change in African communities.
Malaiw’s first cohort visited Limphasa Scheme as part of their immersive training on public policy.
The twelfth cohort in Liberia attended monthly responsive training to build critical technical and soft skills for public service.
Africa Youth Month: Call to Action
EPL is ready to scale impact – amplifying the effect of supporting locally rooted young African leaders across government. This Africa Youth Month, we invite partners - especially values-driven, trust-based funders - to join us by investing in the next generation of proven change agents. Help our young professionals lay the groundwork for systemic and inclusive progress that benefits Africa’s children, youth, and families for years to come.
This November, as the African Union marks Africa Youth Month, stand with us in celebrating the lived impact, talent, and promise of tomorrow’s decision makers - today.
