WomenLift Health 2027 Southern Africa Signature Leadership Journey for emerging women leaders

WomenLift Health’s 2027 Southern Africa Leadership Journey is a fully funded, 12-month hybrid program for mid-career women leaders in health++ who want to deepen their leadership impact while balancing work and life.

What it offers

• Program duration: February 2026 – March 2027
• Format: Hybrid (virtual touchpoints plus two in-person residencies)
• Cost: Free (all program costs, including travel and lodging, are covered)
• Effort: Approximately 4–8 hours each month
• Total learning hours: Approximately 87 hours (includes all touchpoints and a Health Leadership Project)
• In-person residencies:
  • Immersion: 13–16 April 2027 (travel days 12 and 17 April)
  • Lift-Off: 14–15 March 2028 (travel days 13 and 16 March)
• Location: Southern Africa (exact venue communicated later)
• Benefits: Mentoring, coaching, assessments, virtual group mentoring, one-on-one coaching, and a self-directed Health Leadership Project
• Network: Lifelong community of allies at local, regional, and global levels

Who can apply

• Identify as a woman
• Demonstrate fluency and confidence in written and verbal English, including ability to articulate emotions, participate in reflective dialogue, and integrate leadership concepts
• Are a citizen who resides and works in: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, eSwatini, Zambia, or Zimbabwe
• Live in CAT (+/-1 hour) time zones for at least 75% of the program
• Are a mid-career leader with 10–25 years of work experience in health++ (fields such as climate change, food systems, agriculture, water and sanitation, education, economic policy, gender equity, and technology)
• Represent diverse sectors (public, private, academia, NGO, philanthropy), disciplines, and cultural backgrounds

What you'll do

• Participate in live, small-group learning touchpoints (virtual and in-person)
• Complete a self-directed Health Leadership Project
• Engage in virtual group mentoring and one-on-one coaching
• Attend mandatory in-person residencies (Immersion and Lift-Off)

How to apply

• Submit an application including a letter of recommendation from your supervisor (or a senior leader/health community leader if unavailable)
• The letter should address:
  • Your significant contributions demonstrating leadership capacity
  • Your strongest personal quality qualifying you for selection
  • How the Journey will enhance your leadership knowledge and skills
• Deadline: 18 September 2026 11:59pm CAT
• Note: Applications are competitive; responses should be specific, contextualized, and rooted in your own work and goals

Good to know

• 35 women leaders will be selected
• Accepting a place means committing to full participation
• For questions about eligibility, contact: southernafricajourney@womenlifthealth.org