About the opportunity
The fully funded, 12-month WomenLift Health Southern 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, and tools and strategies for enhancing their voice, presence, and influence. Supported by a powerful group of peers, mentors, and coaches, the program imparts contextualized tools and frameworks to address individual, institutional, and health sector challenges. 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.
Funding and benefits
- Free program participation with all program costs, including travel and lodging for in-person residencies, fully covered
- Access to executive coaching with a 360-rater evaluation and personalized leadership style assessments
- Small-group mentoring pairing participants with senior-level leaders across diverse health sectors and disciplines
- Participation in interactive virtual and in-person learning touchpoints and workshops
- Opportunity to design and implement a self-directed Health Leadership Project to drive public health impact
- Induction into a lifelong network of global fellows, allies, and advocates for women's leadership
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 one of the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, eSwatini, Zambia, or Zimbabwe
- Live in CAT (+/-1 hour) time zones for at least 75% of the program duration
- 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 deadline: 18 September 2026 at 11:59 pm CAT
How to apply
- Review key program resources including the Leadership Journey Framework and Health Leadership Project guidelines
- Complete the pre-screening eligibility questions on the official page
- Fill out and submit the application form along with the required letter of recommendation before the deadline
Additional information
- The program duration is from February 2026 to March 2027 (noting standard cohort timelines on the official page)
- Time commitment requires approximately 4–8 hours each month, totaling about 87 learning hours
- Mandatory in-person residences include a 3-day Immersion from 13-16 April 2027 (with travel days on 12 April and 17 April) and a 2-day Lift-Off from 14-15 March 2028 (with travel days on 13 March and 16 March)
- Cohort size is limited to 35 women leaders in health
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 in health with 10–25 years of experience
- Professionals seeking to enhance leadership presence and influence
- Individuals residing and working in specific Southern African countries
What should you think carefully about?
- Strict residency and time zone requirements for the 12-month duration
- Mandatory in-person attendance for two specific multi-day residencies
- Significant monthly time commitment of 4–8 hours
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This program is ideal for established health professionals aiming to transition from technical expertise to influential leadership. By combining executive coaching, peer mentoring, and a self-directed project, it provides a structured pathway to drive systemic change within your institution or the broader health sector.
Our take
Mid-career health leaders in Southern Africa ready to invest in their authentic leadership style should apply; those unable to commit to the mandatory in-person residencies or the specific time zone requirements will find this less suitable.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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