Monica Geingos, the 3rd First Lady of Namibia and a prominent advocate for women’s empowerment and youth leadership, has arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the African Young Women Leaders (AfYWL) Fellowship Programme .
The prestigious Fellowship , a joint initiative of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Africa) is designed to cultivate a dynamic pipeline of young African women leaders who are equipped to shape the continent’s governance, development, and innovation landscape. By investing in intergenerational mentorship and leadership exchange, the AfYWL Fellowship continues to redefine the future of inclusive policymaking across Africa.
Now in its fourth cohort, the programme has supported dozens of exceptional young women from across the continent, placing them within AU and UNDP structures to gain first-hand experience in policy formulation, advocacy, and sustainable development practice. Through this initiative, the next generation of women leaders is being nurtured to embody the values of integrity, innovation, and transformative leadership.
This year’s opening session, themed “Generations of Impact – Women Driving Africa’s Transformation,” set a powerful tone for the discussions ahead. The dialogue underscored that women’s contributions to Africa’s political, social, and economic progress are not incidental but deeply structural — rooted in centuries of resilience, intellect, and collective vision.
Mrs. Geingos, known for her lifelong commitment to gender equality, youth empowerment, and economic inclusion, commended the Fellowship as a critical platform for cultivating Africa’s next generation of female trailblazers. She emphasized that empowering young women to lead and participate fully in governance processes is essential to building sustainable and equitable societies across the continent.
The 2025 cohort is expected to spotlight innovative solutions in areas such as climate action, peacebuilding, digital transformation, and inclusive governance — all driven by the belief that when women lead, communities thrive.
