Apply for Youth Ambassadors Africa Program 2025
The Youth Ambassadors Africa program is accessible to all applicants, according to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ (ECA) Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division.
Youth Ambassadors Program Overview
The Youth Ambassadors (YA) Program provides young people (typically ages 15-18) and adult mentors with the opportunity to explore civic engagement, leadership, and pluralism through short-term exchanges in the United States.
YA-AF offers participants from sub-Saharan African countries the chance to take part in various activities, such as workshops on civic education, visits to community sites related to the program’s themes, and homestays with American families.
After returning home, participants are encouraged to apply what they have learned by implementing projects that benefit their communities. The program should include multiple opportunities for participants to interact meaningfully with their U.S. peers.
Program Goals and Objectives
The program aims to:
Prepare youth leaders to become responsible citizens and active members of their communities.
Empower participants to engage with and address local issues upon their return.
Promote mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect through shared cultures and values.
Build relationships among youth from diverse ethnic, religious, and national backgrounds across sub-Saharan Africa and the U.S.
The objectives of the program are for participants to:
Gain a deeper understanding of participatory democracy in practice.
Enhance critical thinking, problem-solving, and empathetic leadership skills.
Develop program planning and implementation skills to carry out community projects.
Program Themes
