Pan Africa Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP) – Spring 2024 Opening

The Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP) is a transformative three-week exchange experience for high school students, aged 15 to 18, from Africa. This dynamic program invites young leaders to the United States to live with host families and participate in leadership and civic education workshops, engage in community service, visit local schools and organizations, work on projects, and take part in cultural activities with American peers.

Spring 2024 Cohort

On April 6, 2024, Meridian International Center proudly welcomed the PAYLP 2024 Spring cohort in Atlanta, Georgia. The group, comprising 81 African high school students and adult mentors from 24 countries, began with a five-day program opening. From the outset, participants received a program overview and engaged in sessions on leadership training and community action planning, crafting strategies to tackle critical issues like women’s empowerment, drug prevention, youth education, and leadership development in their home communities. 

Immersed in Atlanta's rich culture, the cohort visited landmarks such as the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and the World of Coca-Cola, creating lasting memories and deepening their understanding of U.S. history and culture. These experiences created powerful moments of connection that participants described as “forever engraved” in their minds. 

As the program progressed, participants exchanged stories of their diverse ethnic, religious, and national backgrounds. The program opening culminated in country presentations, where each cohort proudly shared their culture, forging new relationships and a deep mutual understanding before continuing their journey to host cities across the U.S.

 Goals

PAYLP is designed to develop leadership capacity and potential in the next generation of African leaders, primarily through dynamic trainings and cultural exchange with their American counterparts. The goals of the PAYLP program are: 

  1. Enhance the civic engagement, consensus building, and leadership skills of a cadre of young leaders from Sub-Saharan African Countries. 
  2. Promote mutual understanding, sustainable partnerships and relationships among and between U.S. and Sub-Saharan Africa program participants and between key civil society groups in the U.S. and counterpart organizations in participants’ home countries.
  3. Provide continued support for implementation of projects aimed at encouraging civic engagement among diverse ethnic populations.
  4. Involve a broader audience in learning and teaching opportunities. 

Project summary

Pan Africa Youth Leadership Program (PAYLP) – Spring 2024 Opening
Regions: Africa
Impact Areas: Education, Youth Leadership Development
Program Areas: Global Leadership
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