Applications for our 2026-2027 cohort are NOW OPEN through March 19th! Applications submitted by March 5th will receive priority consideration.
Read on to learn more & apply.
The Africa Leadership Accelerator is a 9-month hybrid fellowship for early to mid-career public health professionals who hail from and work within public health institutions across Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia.
Through coaching, leadership training, and integration into a global network, fellows strengthen their capacity to drive change in their organizations and advance health equity in their communities—all while continuing in their current roles.
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, young public health professionals are passionate about driving progress in health. But they’re operating in systems that don’t always set them up to succeed.
Traditional universities and on-the-job training fall short in providing the leadership and management skill-building, coaching, and mentorship that early-career health professionals need. Critical 21st-century skills — adaptability, effective collaboration, trust building, decision-making, navigating change — must be intentionally developed, but opportunities to do so are limited.
Massive cuts to funding mean health workers across the region are being asked to do more with less. At GHC, we've seen that coaching, mentorship, a supportive network of peers and advisors, and opportunities to reflect and process are proven to bolster the resilience of young public health leaders navigating these challenges. The Africa Leadership Accelerator provides the support system that emerging leaders need to thrive in their careers and drive long-term impact, even in uncertain funding environments.
Emerging professionals from underrepresented backgrounds—including those from lower- and middle-income countries and women—are often hindered from advancing their careers by bias, microaggressions, and lack of support.
The Africa Leadership Accelerator addresses these gaps head-on.
Investing in leadership development isn’t just good for individuals — it strengthens teams and improves organizational outcomes. When early-career professionals develop stronger leadership and management capacity, organizations often see gains in efficiency, collaboration, and program quality.
The Africa Leadership Accelerator provides an opportunity for organizational leaders to support and retain high-potential team members through extensive leadership development all while fellows continue contributing to their day-to-day work.
73% of fellows took on additional leadership responsibilities within their roles, including:
93% of fellows reported that their relationship with GHC contributed to their professional achievements in the past 12 months.
98% of fellows reported that engagement in the program amplified and improved their professional achievements and work.
This journey has been truly transformative, from sharpening my leadership skills and strengthening my voice as a young African, Black woman in global health to deepening my commitment to driving meaningful change
One clear way that I have seen [our colleague] apply lessons from the GHC Africa Leadership Accelerator is through her consistent practice of seeking feedback… she now approaches challenges with curiosity rather than immediately proposing solutions, and she receives feedback with grace and thoughtfulness.
Throughout the program, fellows work in tandem with their supervisors and GHC staff to design stretch projects that directly benefit their work streams and organization.
GHC is a small nonprofit organization committed to making our programs available to as many rising health leaders as possible. Organizations whose staff are chosen as fellows are expected to contribute to the program’s cost based on their context and capacity. This contribution amount does not affect applicant selection or ranking and should never prevent participation.
Develop a clearer sense of your unique strengths and challenges, articulate your personal values, and create a vision for how you'll advance health equity.
Connect with peers, mentors, and advisors across the global health field. Join GHC's community of 1,300+ alumni.
Explore frameworks and tools to analyze complex systems, identify leverage points, and develop strategies for creating lasting change
Stay in your current role and apply what you learn to real projects and challenges—generating value for your organization while deepening your skills.
As someone working at the intersection of civic engagement, digital health rights, and youth advocacy, this journey sharpened my systems thinking, expanded my tools for cross-regional collaboration, and challenged me to lead with greater clarity and intention.”
The 9-month fellowship runs from September 2026 through May 2027. All program costs — including travel to retreat locations, lodging, and meals for in-person retreats — are covered by GHC.
February 16, 2026: Applications open
March 5, 2026: Priority deadline
March 19, 2026: Applications close
August 2026: All applicants notified of status
September 2026: Fellowship kickoff and first virtual convening
January 2027: Mid-fellowship in-person retreat, full cross-country cohort
May 2027: End-of-program country-specific retreat and transition to alumni community
A full program calendar will be provided upon acceptance.
The Africa Leadership Accelerator is designed with a hybrid learning approach, offering virtual and in-person learning opportunities. Participation in all components is mandatory unless otherwise noted:
Monthly virtual Leadership Academy Workshops (3 hours/workshop) built into your working day
Monthly small group learning (1-2 hours/month)
Asynchronous learning (1-2 hours/month) – required reading, writing, and reflection
Optional learning opportunities – webinars, trainings, networking meetings, and access to GHC’s resources
360° assessment
One-on-one GHC staff coaching and support
2 in-person overnight retreats with all costs covered (3-4 days/convening)
Mentorship from GHC alumni and partners
Integration into GHC’s lifelong global network spanning 40+ countries
Once a fellow, always a fellow. After completing the program, fellows join GHC’s lifelong global network and continue to grow through our robust alumni programming.
We intentionally cultivate a leadership experience that fosters inclusivity and belonging. The Africa Leadership Accelerator is more than a fellowship — it’s a community.
This program is designed for high-potential, early-career public health leaders committed to personal and professional growth. Public health is a broad field, and we welcome applicants who have studied and/or work in a wide range of disciplines and functional roles addressing myriad health challenges. Past fellows’ titles and affiliations have included:
To apply, you must:
There are no specific education or training requirements to be eligible for participation; however, fluency in English is necessary since all instructions will be given in English.
This step will need to be completed in order to access the remaining application.
Submit your CV, references, demographic info, essay responses, and video response
Finalists will be selected to conduct an interview with GHC which are expected to take place in May and June.
All applicants will be notified of their status by July 31, 2026.
Visit our FAQs or email us at [email protected].
Based in the U.S.? Learn more about our U.S. Leadership Accelerator.
