Amujae Initiative to open recruitment for next cohort of women leaders

Big Win Philanthropy has been proud to partner with the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development as it embarked on its mission to advance women’s public leadership across Africa with a ground-breaking program—the Amujae Initiative.

Amujae, pronounced ӓ mōō jāēē, means ‘we are going up’ in Kru, a Liberian language. Launched earlier this year, the vision for the Amujae Initiative is to shift the landscape for women in public leadership in Africa, moving from a culture of tokenism to one that truly values women leaders.

Participants in the program—known as Amujae Leaders—receive world-class mentorship and training from former heads of state, leaders of international organizations, and renowned experts in various fields. The program helps these women to be deliberate about their leadership trajectory and supports them to be successful in pursuing and serving in the highest positions of public leadership.

The first cohort of 15 accomplished women leaders selected to take part in the Amujae Initiative come from 11 countries across the continent. In their first year, they have accelerated their leadership journeys—driving COVID-19 responses in their countries and mobilizing action to increase women’s participation in public leadership.

As the initiative looks to 2021, Big Win is delighted to support the program as it opens applications for the next cohort of inspiring women leaders. The program is looking for African women of proven talent and ambition, who have had a demonstrable impact in their line of service.

An Amujae Leader is a woman who:

• Is a citizen of and resides in any African country.
• Has proven leadership talent, having excelled in her chosen field and distinguished herself as someone who can deliver transformative impact.
• If not already involved in public service, has the vision and proven commitment to become an exceptional public leader.
• Has demonstrated a commitment towards the upliftment/ empowerment of other women.
• Is patriotic, demonstrating commitment and service to their home country/countries.

Involving more women in public life is essential to creating more inclusive societies and delivering sustainable growth. With a strong link between women in leadership and better health, education, environmental and healthcare outcomes, advancing women in public leadership benefits everyone.

If you, or someone you know, would be interested in applying to become an Amujae Leader, you can find full application details here. Applications are open from 14-30 September.

For further inspiration, hear about the experiences of being an Amujae Leader directly from some of the women in the inaugural cohort below.

Amujae Leader Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, OBE discusses why she became part of the program.

Amujae Leader Dr. Jumoke Oduwole from Nigeria shares her key takeaways from the inaugural Amujae Leadership Forum.

Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, an Amujae Leader from Ghana, shares why she’s participating in the Amujae Initiative.