About the opportunity
The fully funded, 12-month WomenLift Health Eastern Africa Leadership Journey is designed to provide talented women leaders in health with the safe space to explore their authentic leadership through vulnerability and reflection, an inclusive and diverse network which fosters a strong sense of belonging, tools and strategies for enhancing their voice, presence, and influence – all the while being supported by a powerful group of peers, mentors, and coaches. The program imparts contextualized tools and frameworks to address the individual, institutional, and health sector challenges that women leaders in global health face today. Participants engage in two in-person experiential learning residencies (Immersion and Lift-Off), virtual learning touchpoints, group mentoring, one-on-one coaching sessions, and a self-directed Health Leadership Project, supported by health sector experts and a lifelong network of allies.
Funding and benefits
- All program costs, including travel and lodging for in-person residencies, are fully covered.
- Access to executive coaching and senior-level mentorship.
- Participation in leadership style assessments including a 360-rater evaluation.
- In-person experiential learning residencies (Immersion and Lift-Off).
- Membership in a lifelong global network of fellows, peers, and allies upon successful completion.
Who can apply?
- Identify as a woman.
- Demonstrate fluency and confidence in both written and verbal English communication.
- Be a citizen who resides and works within Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, or Burundi.
- Live in EAT (+/-1 hour) time zones for at least 75% of the program.
- Be a mid-career leader with 10–25 years of work experience in health++ (spanning interconnected fields such as climate change, food systems, agriculture, water and sanitation, education, economic policy, gender equity, and technology).
Required documents
- Letter of recommendation from a supervisor, senior leader at the current organization, or a health community leader with experience working with the applicant.
When to apply
- Applications close on September 17 at 11:59 pm EAT.
- Program runs from March 16, 2027, to February 10, 2028.
How to apply
- Review eligibility requirements and key resources including program frameworks and guidelines.
- Prepare application responses reflecting original thinking and personal goals (avoiding uncontextualized AI generation).
- Obtain and upload a letter of recommendation.
- Submit the complete application online via the official portal before the deadline.
Additional information
- The program accepts 35 women leaders in health across Eastern Africa distributed across cohorts.
- Time commitment is approximately 4-8 hours each month, totaling around 87 hours.
- All learning touchpoints and in-person residencies are mandatory.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Mid-career women leaders with 10 to 25 years of experience in health or interconnected health++ fields who are citizens residing and working in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, or Burundi.
- Individuals looking for professional growth through executive coaching, senior-level mentorship, leadership style assessments, and a self-directed Health Leadership Project.
What should you think carefully about?
- Participants must be able to dedicate approximately 4 to 8 hours each month to meet the total 87-hour time commitment across the 12-month duration.
- Attendance at all learning touchpoints and in-person residencies is mandatory, requiring careful schedule management.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This fully funded program aligns well with the goals of a mid-career professional seeking targeted leadership tools, personalized coaching, and membership in a lifelong global network. It offers a structured way to build strategic influence while balancing an existing workload through a manageable monthly time commitment.
Our take
Mid-career women leaders across eligible Eastern Africa countries who want structured executive mentorship and have the flexibility to fulfill mandatory hybrid participation should apply. Candidates unable to commit to the monthly time investment or mandatory in-person dates should skip this opportunity.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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