The Young African Leaders Initiative is an initiative of the United States Department of State. It was begun in 2010 by President Barack Obama.

Who is the founder of Yali?

YALI: Leading societies through the energy of youth and the power of integrity. Following the success of the Africa Leadership Initiative, Isaac and Khumo Shongwe founded a younger generation of ALI, which is today known as YALI: The Young Africa Leadership Initiative.

Who funds Yali?

USAID is responsible for the management of programming at the YALI Regional Leadership Centers (RLCs) located on the African continent. The Department of State is responsible for the U.S.-based annual Mandela Washington Fellowship and monitoring the virtual YALI Network.