September 4, 2016
Ashesi alumna Yawa Hansen-Quao ’07 has been selected as one of twenty-five Africans who make up the 2016 Eisenhower Fellows for the inaugural Eisenhower Fellowship Africa Program. She forms part of a team that will embark on a seven-week journey throughout the United States to engage in a transformative exchange of knowledge and ideas with the leading minds in their respective fields.
Chaired by former United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, the Eisenhower Fellowships exists to inspire leaders around the world to challenge themselves, to think beyond their current scope, to engage others, including outside of their current networks, and to leverage their own talents to better the world around them.
“These innovative Fellows are united by their passion to benefit their countries and region by collaborating across disciplines to achieve their vision,” said General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret). “We welcome them into the Eisenhower Fellowships global network of influential leaders.”
Through her nonprofit organization Leading Ladies’ Network, Yawa works to promote the expansion of women-led and women-owned businesses with high growth potential through education, networking, mentoring, and exposure to investment resources. “I recognize it is such a great honour to have my work recognized by such a prestigious award,” she said in reaction to her selection.
For Yawa, one of three Ghanaians to be selected, the fellowship offers an opportunity to widen the impact of the Leading Ladies’ Network which already works with women and girls in Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan and South Africa. “Over the next two years, we hope to establish a Leading Ladies’ institute here in Ghana to provide leadership development programs for individuals, organizations and government,” she said. “Through this fellowship, we want to develop a strong game plan to establish the Leading Ladies’ Network as a physical entity that runs programs for the benefit of the continent. We’ll, however, from the beginning, start with, Ghana and the West-African sub-region.”
Eisenhower Fellows are exceptional leaders in their countries, representing a diverse mix of private, public and NGO sectors. Although diverse in background and interests, each of them has demonstrated leadership ability and a commitment to better their communities and advance their professional disciplines as a result of the fellowship. Eisenhower Fellows are mid-career professionals, typically 32 to 45 years old. Learn more here.
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