Leadership Initiatives

The Big Win

By supporting the next generation of transformational leaders through peer-to-peer collaboration, training, and advisory support, we can help ensure sustainable, country-led development for decades to come.

Partnerships

Big Win is supporting three initiatives focused on advancing transformational political leadership: the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program, the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Center’s Leadership Academy, and the Obama Foundation’s Africa Leaders Program.

Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program

Big Win Philanthropy partners with Harvard University to offer a ministerial leadership program to support leaders from Africa and around the world to pursue their agendas for transformation. Now in its 8th year, the program has brought together 183 serving ministers from 65 countries.

The leadership program concentrates on regions where the demographic dividend of growing populations is under-exploited. The program is orienting ministers to see how central human development is to their national agendas.

By convening leaders across sectors and continents, the Ministers benefit from collaboration and insight from across the spectrum. They are encouraged to articulate their vision for the future and turn their legacy goals into concrete programs.

Learn more about the program here.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development: Amujae Initiative

The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center) is the premier institution for the advancement of women in public life across Africa. Building on the legacy of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – Nobel Peace Prize Winner and the first elected woman head of state in Africa – the EJS Center was founded to be a catalyst for change across Africa, by helping unleash its most abundant untapped power — its women.

Through a unique blend of programming, advocacy, research, and exhibitions, the EJS Center advances women’s public leadership and social development.

Learn more about Big Win's partnership with the EJS Center here.

Obama Foundation: Africa Leaders Program

In 2018, the Obama Foundation launched the Africa Leaders Program to convene 200 emerging African leaders from across the continent. Participants – who are generally under the age of 35 – have demonstrated a commitment to bringing meaningful change to their communities and a potential to deliver transformational impact. They are brought together for five days of intensive leadership training, self-reflection, and peer-to-peer connection to hone their skills.

During the first year, Big Win worked with the leadership team on program design and participant selection. During the second year, Big Win funded facilitators for the program.