Obama Foundation’s Leaders Program 2026/2027 for Emerging Leaders

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Applications are open for Obama Foundation’s Leaders Program 2026/2027. The Obama Foundation’s Leaders program aims to inspire, empower, and connect regional cohorts of changemakers to accelerate positive and lasting change in their communities and throughout their region and across our world.

These 24-45-year-old emerging leaders from around the world forge societies and communities rooted in shared values, where all people belong, participate, and thrive. The Leaders program launched in Africa in 2018 and expanded to Asia Pacific in 2019, Europe in 2020, and the United States in 2023.

Inspired by President Obama’s leadership approach, the Leaders program engages participants in the challenges, opportunities, and skills of making positive change. Supported by full group sessions, small group discussions, and individualized leadership coaching, participants define a values-based foundation for sustained leadership, cultivate relationships with others to catalyze more inclusive, lasting change, and prepare to engage with issues at the systems level.

Upon completion of the program, Leaders will have gained a deeper understanding of how values-based leadership advances their work. They will be inspired to take further action, propelled by new ideas and skills. Most importantly, Leaders will continue to gain a broader global perspective by joining the Obama Leadership Network, a growing global alumni community of over 1,500 active changemakers.

Obama Foundation’s Africa Leaders Program

Leaders Africa is a six-month, virtual leadership development program that seeks to build a growing network of innovative and values-based changemakers who will drive positive change in their communities, the continent, and the world.

The Leaders Africa program seeks to identify exceptional leaders in public, civil society, and the private sector who have a clear issue-focus and who can illustrate the impact of their work. Our objective is to build a network of values-based leaders, who create positive, innovative change in their communities, throughout Africa, and around the world.

Leaders participate in the following core elements as part of the program:

Weekly Virtual Video Calls
These live virtual sessions are the primary form of collective engagement. These connections, an average of four times monthly, offer a mix of new content (conversations with experts, introductions to leadership frameworks, skill-building, etc.) and interactive, small-group work in breakout rooms.
Monthly Community Groups
Leaders work in peer learning groups that encourage deeper relationship-building and peer-learning, and offer opportunities to reflect on case studies of prominent African leaders, or discuss open questions from the group sessions.
Individualized Leadership Coaching
Each Leader is paired with a coach to help them gain self-awareness, clarify goals, brainstorm ideas, achieve their development objectives, and unlock their potential.

Eligibility Criteria

The program currently invites individuals residing in all countries and territories in the continent of Africa.
Citizenship and Residency
You must meet one of the following criteria:
- Citizen of an African country or territory OR
- Permanent resident of an African country or territory OR
- Have lived in an African country or territory for at least the last 5 years, regardless of citizenship or permanent residence status
Geographic Focus
Your work is geographically focused on creating positive change for local communities, an African nation or territory, and/or the broader Africa region. You demonstrate a strong commitment to continue to focus your work in the Africa region.
Program Commitment
The Leaders Africa program is currently scheduled to begin the week of September 1, 2026 and will conclude no later than May 1, 2027, with planned breaks throughout.
Language Proficiency & Age
You are professionally proficient in English and you will be between 24 and 45 years of age on September 1, 2026.
Political Campaigns
You will refrain from participating in an electoral campaign as a candidate for political office from the time you are accepted into the program through May 1, 2027. Selection decisions are currently scheduled to be sent out in June 2026.
Leadership Experience
You can demonstrate at least 3 years of relevant experience in your issue area.
Jurisdiction and Ability to Participate in a U.S.-Based Program
The Obama Foundation is based in the United States. To participate in the program, you must be under no legal or regulatory restrictions that would limit your participation in virtual Foundation programming or travel to the U.S. for in-person programming (if any).