Times Of Swaziland: ZANELE THABEDE SHORTLISTED FOR  YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

ZANELE THABEDE SHORTLISTED FOR  YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE
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BY NONTOBEKO TSHABALALA on 07/03/2014 05:24:00


MBABANE – Swaziland Young Women Network’s (SWYON) Zanele Thabede has been
shortlisted for the 2014 Young African Leadership Initiative.
UNFPA issued a congratulatory message to the 28-year-old Thabethe yesterday who
was shortlisted out of 50 000 applicants from different African countries.
Gender Programme Analyst Phumzile Dlamini expressed her pride at Thabede’s
advancement into the next category of selection for the YALI programme.
“Join me in congratulating Zanele for making it this far and wishing her the
very best as the process continues to elect the 500 young Africans to benefit
from this amazing leadership programme,” Dlamini said.
Thabede is SWYON Programme Officer and could not contain her excitement at being
shortlisted.
“I am excited about being shortlisted and believe that it is through the
encouragement from the staff at UNFPA that I applied for the programme,
especially Tengetile Tsabedze.
“I hope the faith they have in the work I do and the leadership
characteristics I have will serve me in good stead when I go through the
interview process,” she said.
YALI, which was launched in 2010, is a flagship programme of President of the
United States of America (USA), Barack Obama.
The programme aims at bringing together 500 young African leaders in the USA
each year for leadership training and mentoring.
This is to create new skills and opportunities to propel Africa’s economic
growth, prosperity and strengthening of democratic institutions.
“YALI is a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African
leaders.
“President Obama launched YALI to support young African leaders as they spur
growth, prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and enhance peace and
security across Africa,” the programme’s website partly reads.
YALI participants have gone on to start youth-driven organisations and networks
as well as advise their respective governments