By Catherine Mossi, Communications Officer, MS TCDC
Leadership does not happen in a vacuum. It grows where people have access to opportunities, supportive networks, and the confidence to lead. Yet across Africa, many young women continue to face barriers that limit their participation in leadership spaces, despite their ideas, potential, and commitment to driving change.
Closing this gap is not only about increasing representation it is about creating intentional pathways that enable young women to grow as leaders and to influence the communities and institutions they are part of.
The Lead(H)er Fellowship
The Lead(H)er Fellowship responds to this need by bringing together emerging women leaders from across Africa to strengthen their leadership skills, expand their professional networks, and build the confidence to lead with purpose. The Fellowship is grounded in the belief that long term leadership is sustained through mentorship, peer learning and communities of support that empower women to step into leadership roles with confidence.
"The aim was to create a space where young women leaders could build networks, grow together, and leverage each other's strengths," says Dr. Chipo Muchabaiwa, Regional Youth Engagement Manager at Plan International MEESA
A Network of 120 Leaders and Growing
Over the past four years, the Fellowship has grown into a network of more than 120 women leaders across Africa. While each fellow's journey is different, a common thread runs through their experiences that when women are given the opportunity to learn, connect and lead, the benefits extend far beyond the individual reaching families, institutions, and entire communities.
The fourth cohort concluded its journey during the YouLead Summit 2026, where 25 fellows from Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia joined a growing continental network of women leaders committed to driving change in their communities.
Turning Leadership Into Local Impact
During the 4th Cohort Graduation, Maria Eliabu Mchome, Lead(H)er Fellow shared how the Fellowship helped her expand the Jilinde Jikinge campaign, a community health initiative providing health education and hygiene materials to more than 3,000 primary school children.
"The outcome of this Fellowship is not perfection. It is the transmission of confidence, the sharing of knowledge, and the transformation of communities through women who are ready to lead," shared Joanitha Kassabrankahr, Lead(H)er Fellow (4th Cohort).
As the network grows, so does its impact showing what is possible when young women are given structured opportunities to lead.
The Lead(H)er Fellowship is co-delivered by Plan International, YouLead, and the African Union Office of the Youth Envoy.