Clean Air Task Force selected to host a Young African Climate Leader
Clean Air Task Force is pleased to announce that it has been selected to host Nair de Sousa, a Fellow from Angola, in the Professional Development Experience (PDE) component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders from August 9 to September 17, 2021, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement. YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa. Since 2014, nearly 4,400 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship.
Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and with the health, safety, and well-being of Fellows and Partners as the highest priority, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is virtual for 2021. While remaining in their home countries, Fellows are participating in virtual Leadership Institutes, followed by a virtual Summit. After the Summit, up to 70 competitively-selected Fellows take part in PDEs – six-week virtual professional placements with U.S. non-governmental organizations, private companies, and government agencies. The PDE component allows Fellows to learn and grow as young professionals while providing enriching opportunities for U.S. organizations to participate in collaborative exchanges.
Ms de Sousa is a reservoir geologist who uses her experience in drilling and reservoir engineering, and her role as a university professor to assists young women interested in STEM, in particular Geosciences and Geoengineer. She is a member of the African Association of Women in Geosciences and co-founded the Angolan chapter. As a member of the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition, she is striving for technologies that advance the Energy Transition. In the future, Nair plans to engage in politics to effectively contribute with policies that allow a better use of the country’s geo-resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit mandelawashingtonfellowship.org and join the conversation at #YALI2021.
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