The Emerging Youth Leaders Program

History

The Emerging Youth Leaders grant was established to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Senegal; to strengthen the ties which unite us by sharing the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of both countries.

Program Goals

The program aims to develop a sense of civic responsibility and commitment to the global community; to foster personal and institutional ties between participants and partner countries; and to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Senegal around the topic of Democracy and Governance.  We also aim to equip students and host families to take action on issues of international importance and to empower, inspire and prepare them to work towards creating a peaceful international community.

Program Components

AYUSA and iEARN Senegal will work closely to provide a two-way summer exchange program for a total of thirty high school students, fifteen from the US and fifteen from Senegal. The program will begin in California with an academic base at the University of California, Berkeley and will conclude in Dakar, Senegal at Cheikh Anta Diop University. All thirty students will participate in the American and Senegalese portions of the program.
The program will emphasize social justice, motivation and tools for political and social change.  It will also incorporate community service projects, cultural enrichment activities, global skills training, and other types of experiential group learning to develop civic responsibility and commitment to communities, as well as inspiring future leaders to become agents of positive change.