Leadership Development

Functioning as a leadership incubator, Akili Dada creates the foundation on which our scholars build their leadership abilities and confidence over time. We believe that leadership is not accidental, but rather it must be nurtured with intention and purpose.  Thus, our leadership training program is designed to provide ongoing opportunities for our scholars to practice and develop their leadership skills and style within the supportive environments of our network, their schools,  and their home communities. The ultimate goal of our program is to provide underprivileged young women the essential preparation and qualifications they need to access key decision-making roles and leadership positions in African society.

To support our scholars’ leadership development, along with their community service requirements we engage them in an ongoing process of guided self-assessment through essays and other means that identify their growth and needs as leaders and as maturing young women. This process provides our scholars with space for the kind of self-exploration and reflection that we believe is essential to good leadership.  These reflections also help Akili Dada determine how best to support and meet the needs of each scholar as an individual.