LéO Africa Institute

The LéO Africa Institute & Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (Uganda) are pleased to announce that applications for the Griots Fellowship 2026 are now open.

In West African tradition, the Griot is the keeper of memory, the voice of community, and the shaper of collective identity. Inspired by this tradition and the global power of platforms like TED Talks, the Griots Fellowship is designed for practitioners who believe that story is how reclaims its own narrative in the world.

Now entering its second cohort, we are looking for practitioners who have a story to tell, a project to develop, and a voice ready to be heard.

Writers. Filmmakers. Podcasters. Visual artists. Musicians. Oral historians. Cultural practitioners. This fellowship is for you.

The program takes fellows through:

1️⃣ Narrative Strategy & Craft — Sharpening the art and intention behind your storytelling
2️⃣ Media Production Ethics — Understanding responsibility, representation, and integrity in the stories we tell
3️⃣ Platform Building — Developing the presence and reach your work deserves
4️⃣ The LéO Africa Talk — A carefully crafted, TED-style talk delivered before a live audience

The 2026 cohort theme is "Stories that will Define our Future."

✅ Who should apply:

▫️Emerging leaders aged 25–45, based anywhere on the continent
▫️Writers, artists, filmmakers, cultural practitioners, and storytellers of all kinds
▫️Those with a story rooted in their life, their community, their corner of Africa — and the commitment to bring it to life

📌 Apply now: http://bit.ly/4slGFtk

The LéO Africa Institute & Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (Uganda) are pleased to announce that applications for the YELP 2026 Fellowship are now open.

Now in its seventh year, the Young and Emerging Leaders Project is one of our most enduring communities — bringing together emerging leaders from across who are committed to lives of significance and impact.

Entrepreneurs. Media practitioners. Social innovators. Artists. Activists. If you are building something meaningful, this fellowship is for you.

The program unfolds across three residential seminars:

1️⃣ Values, Ethics & the Philosophy of Leadership — Grounding your leadership in identity, purpose, and conviction
2️⃣ Political Economy & Development — Understanding the systems that shape our continent and your choices within them
3️⃣ Media, Art & Technology — Exploring the tools and narratives that define our time

With alumni in eight African countries and a growing network of thought leaders, YELP is more than a fellowship; it is a community you carry with you.

✅ Who should apply:

▫️Young people aged 21–35 from across Africa
▫️From any professional or creative background
▫️Committed to personal growth, values-driven leadership, and meaningful contribution to community and continent

📌 Apply now: https://bit.ly/48oa7aT

Announcing the Huduma Fellowship — For Uganda's Next Generation of Public Servants

We are looking for early-career professionals in Uganda's public and civic sector who are committed to leading with integrity and building a culture of principled public service.

Here is what the journey looks like:

1️⃣ Foundational Leadership — Deepening self-awareness and clarifying your personal values as a leader
2️⃣ Public Service Ethics & Governance — Navigating the real demands of ethical leadership in public institutions
3️⃣ Policy & Implementation — Translating vision into action within your sector and community
4️⃣ Graduation & Capstone — Presenting a project rooted in the challenges and opportunities you know best

Over the course of a year, fellows move through residential seminars, mentorship, and peer dialogue — learning alongside others who share the same commitment to service.

✅ Who should apply:

▪️Ugandan nationals or residents, aged 22–35
▪️Working in government, civil service, non-profit, civil society, or civic institutions
▪️Committed to ethical leadership and public service

📌 Apply here: https://bit.ly/47MBaMO

We are inviting applications to our three flagship fellowships designed to develop Africa's next generation of ethical leaders, thought leaders, and storytellers. https://leoafricainstitute.org/news/lead-serve-tell-africas-story

🎉 TODAY IS THE DAY! 🎉

The Annual Leaders Gathering 2025 is finally here!

We're bringing together Africa's leading thinkers and practitioners for a full day of transformational conversations, strategic partnerships, and collaborative leadership.

From keynotes that challenge us to panel discussions that inspire us... Today, we BUILD TOGETHER FOR IMPACT! 🚀

📅 13th December 2025
📍 Four Points by Sheraton Kampala
💻 Streaming live: https://youtube.com/watch?v=T6stoiHWbmc

Can't wait to see you all—Let's make history together!🌍✨

We are honoured to announce that Mr Charles Mudiwa, Managing Director & CEO of
dfcu Bank, will be the keynote speaker at

📎Topic: Excellence as a Standard: Sustaining High-Performance Leadership in Challenging Contexts.

Expect insights on:

1⃣ Maintaining excellence as a standard in challenging contexts
2⃣ Sustaining high-performance leadership amid adversity
3⃣ Building resilient teams and fostering innovation
4⃣ How excellence drives collaborative impact
5⃣ The role of Africans in building sustainable institutions and driving the continent's economic transformation

Read more ➡️: https://leoafricainstitute.org/blog/charles-mudiwa-to-deliver-keynote-address-at-alg2025/

We are delighted to announce the 6th Annual Leaders Gathering 2025: "Building Together for Impact – Inspiring Excellence Through Transformative Leadership."

Building on five years of impactful convenings, this year’s gathering unites fellows, partners, and distinguished guests to catalyze collaborative, ethical, results-driven leadership for Africa's bold future.

We are bringing together an exceptional community of leaders driving change, creating opportunities, and generating impact across their communities, drawing from over 200 LéO Africa fellows and the thousands of emerging leaders within our expansive network.

🗓️Dec 13 | 🏨Four Points by Sheraton Kampala

Mohamed Alaa Eldin transformed doubt into impact—from entering the European Investment Bank in 2015 as the sole Egyptian, feeling the weight of representing his continent, to advancing sustainable finance in Egypt and beyond...

The audience absorbed his journey intently: At Egypt's Export Development Bank, he led projects such as eco-friendly cards made from plant-based materials and initiatives that tied financial inclusion to environmental goals.

His work has earned awards, including UNCTAD's Best Research Paper in Economy and Trade, the Misr El Kheir Award for Circular Economy Innovation, and the Egyptian Banking Institute Award for Sustainable Banking.

As UNCCD Youth Caucus MENA Focal Point and participant in COP27 & COP28, he urges: Enter those rooms, share your ideas, mentor the next generation. Finance shapes whose futures get funded. We are the ones: From echo to voice.

Quite a thrill watching KingDavid Ayo-Loto tell his story! A multi-disciplinary talent from Nigeria, KingDavid is a true modern Griot, condensing knowledge both in song and speech, and capturing both the audience's intellect and emotions.