The Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) is an international leadership program that fosters the future generation of leaders to contribute to the development of sub-Saharan Africa.
The Scholars of AAI are those who have lost one both parents determined to return to sub-Saharan Africa to pledge change, innovation, and development. Full financial support to study at university abroad (equivalent to an undergraduate degree), including tuition, room, travel costs, and other necessary fees is provided by AAI.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Ashinga believes in quality over quantity. Ashinaga takes great care to select and develop the students. They invest a significant amount of resources in those who are accepted into the program. As a result of this, to ensure sustainability, they are only able to take about one student per country per year. So, you better apply now!
The country or university of study will be decided during the Ashinaga Study Camp for students selected for this program. It will be decided together with the student, but the final decision ultimately lies with Ashinaga. It will depend on numerous criteria, including visa requirements, language requirements, academic grades, and the availability of the student’s desired course of study.
Benefits
- A great opportunity to complete your undergrads with full funding.
- Tuition, travel fees everything will be paid by AAI.
- Cultivates you to be a future change-maker in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Eligibilities
Applicants must:
- Have lost one or both parents.
- Have completed secondary school and passed national secondary school examination (technical and vocational degrees not accepted) within the last two years (any date after 1st September 2018, including all of 2019 and 2020) or will have completed secondary school and received final exam results before February 28th, 2021.
- Have citizenship and have completed/are completing high school in one of the following countries: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, CAR, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, DRC, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Kenya, Kingdom of eSwatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sénégal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Seychelles, Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
- Were born after 1st September 1998.
- Do not have the means to attend university abroad without external financial support.
- Are proficient in English or French.
- Are regularly ranked in the top 10% of their class during their last 2 or 3 years of secondary school. Students without strong grades are unlikely to be successful.
- Are able to participate in the two Ashinaga preparatory programs, over the course of one year, before attending university.
- Are committed to return home, or to Sub-Saharan Africa, and contribute to society in Sub-Saharan Africa after graduating from university.
- Have no dependents who could interfere with academic progress.
- Have a good enough health condition to be able to study abroad.
Application Process
There are two stages to the Ashinaga Africa Initiative application process:
- Registration: all applicants must first confirm the eligibility by registering for the programme. Only students who register for the program and are deemed eligible (based on criteria/eligibility above) will receive the application form.
- Application: all students who register for the programme will receive an email with a link to the application form within 1 month of their registration if they are eligible for the programme.
Required Documents:
- Registration
- Copy of national ID card or passport.
- Copy of term reports / high school for your final year of school.
- Copy of final Secondary School Examination Certificate**
**For students receiving their examination results after February 19th 2021 and before February 28th 2021 they will ask you to send your examination certificate if you are invited to submit the application for the program.
- Application
- Copy of all term reports / high school transcripts from the last 2 years.
- Copy of final Secondary School Examination Certificate (if you did not submit it with your registration form)
- Copy of academic transcripts / diplomas from university / post-secondary institution, (if applicable).
- Copy of death certificate of deceased parent(s), including the deceased parent’s name, or alternative official documentation proving the death of a parent(s) or orphan status.
- Copy of birth certificate of the applicant.
- Copies of certificates for extracurricular activities, training courses, jobs or commitments (if applicable).
- A letter of recommendation from a principal or school teacher. This should be inclusive of their email address, phone number, and must contain information about your performance and character whilst at secondary school. All recommendation letters should contain an official signature or stamp.
Note: All documents must be submitted in French or English if possible. Use the Gregorian (Western) calendar to fill in the application through the Apply Now link.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Application Deadline: February 28, 2021
Application ClosedOfficial link
