WomenLift Health Southern Africa Leadership Journey 2027

WomenLift Health’s Southern Africa Leadership Journey 2027 is a fully funded, 12-month program for mid-career women leaders in health++ across Southern Africa. It combines virtual and in-person learning, mentoring, and a self-directed project to expand participants’ leadership influence.

What it offers

• Program duration: February 2026 – March 2027
• Format: Hybrid (virtual and in-person)
• Cost: Free (all program costs, including travel and lodging, are covered)
• Effort: Approximately 4–8 hours each month
• Total learning hours: Approximately 87 hours (including all touchpoints and work on the Health Leadership Project)
• Two in-person residencies:
  • Immersion: 3-day residency (13–16 April 2027), with travel days on 12 April and 17 April
  • Lift-Off: 2-day residency (14–15 March 2028), with travel days on 13 March and 16 March
• Location of in-person residencies: Southern Africa (to be confirmed closer to the event)
• Includes virtual learning touchpoints, group mentoring, one-on-one coaching, and a self-directed Health Leadership Project
• Participants become part of a lifelong global network of women leaders in health

Who can apply

• Identify as a woman
• Demonstrate fluency and confidence in written and verbal English communication
• Be 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
• Be 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 sessions (virtual and in-person)
• Engage in reflective dialogue, complex interpersonal conversations, and leadership development exercises
• Complete a self-directed Health Leadership Project
• Attend mandatory in-person residencies and virtual touchpoints
• Receive mentoring, coaching, and assessments throughout the program

How to apply

• Prepare a letter of recommendation from your supervisor (or a senior leader/health community leader if unavailable)
• The letter should address:
  • Your significant contributions and leadership capacity
  • Your strongest personal quality relevant to the Journey
  • How the Journey will enhance your leadership knowledge and skills
• Submit the letter as part of your application by the deadline
• Applications are open for the 2027 Southern Africa Leadership Journey
• Deadline: 18 September 2026 11:59pm CAT

Good to know

• The program selects 35 women leaders per cohort
• Accepting a place means committing to full participation
• Applications are highly competitive; responses should be specific, contextualized, and rooted in your work
• AI tools may be used thoughtfully, but applications should showcase your own thinking and experience
• For questions about eligibility, contact: southernafricajourney@WomenLifthealth.org