Published April 2026
A Journey of Growth, Identity, and Pan-African Purpose
The UGO Fellowship 2025 cohort brought together young leaders from across Africa with one shared ambition: to learn, connect, and return home with stronger tools for impact. Through exposure, collaboration, and practical leadership experiences, fellows discovered new confidence in their voices and new clarity in their purpose.
These reflections capture more than personal milestones. They reveal a generation learning to lead across borders, embrace cultural diversity, and build sustainable futures rooted in African knowledge, innovation, and solidarity.
Marseline Kichia
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science & Technology, Kenya
For a long time, owning a passport felt like a distant dream. Through the UGO Fellowship, that dream became real and opened a new chapter in my life.
Holding my first passport was more than receiving a travel document. It represented confidence, identity, and the courage to imagine a bigger future beyond borders.
Joseph Sammila
Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Traveling to another country through the fellowship was a life-changing experience. It exposed me to new cultures, ideas, and perspectives.
Even though we come from different backgrounds, this journey reminded me that we share the same desire to create meaningful change in our communities.
Belina Mofokeng
University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
Through this fellowship programme, I have grown into a stronger young leader with a clearer sense of purpose.
I now see myself as a young diplomat who can build bridges, share ideas across borders, and represent my country with pride while creating lasting impact.
Koketso Morwatshehla
University of Venda, South Africa
My experience in Sierra Leone and the UGO Fellowship deepened my understanding of history, identity, and the realities many African communities have faced.
It also strengthened my commitment to African-led sustainability, entrepreneurship, and indigenous knowledge systems as foundations for long-term development.