Three Guyanese for US Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative Fellowship

Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 December 2020, 8:31 by Denis Chabrol

Three Guyanese youths have  been selected to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship Program.

The American embassy in Georgetown said the programme would bring together 263 young leaders together from 37 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada for a virtual fellowship.

This year, three young leaders from Guyana have been accepted out of over 2,300 applicants, the embassy said.

Filisha Duke: Founder and CEO of Sure Gig has experience in securing contracts and building key partnerships to facilitate the company’s objectives. During the fellowship, Filisha aims to learn effective approaches to manage and maintain financial growth, strategies on increasing market share, brand awareness and sales, and how to facilitate scaling and expansion.

Joylyn John, Managing Director for Juneberry Gy has experience in leadership, the retail market, and vast knowledge in business operations.  During  the  fellowship,  Joylyn John  aims  to learn  about  the  legal  side  of  running  a  business  both  locally  and  internationally,  sharpen  her leadership  skills  and  her  “know  how”  on  approaching  investors  with investment  proposals,  and  learn how  to  have  the  highest  returns  possible  in  her  business,

Maleka Russell, Owner for Green Valley Organics has experience in insect and pest control, shade house vegetable cultivation technologies, and climate-smart agricultural practices.  During the fellowship, Maleka aims to learn about business development, develop a business model for agricultural sustainability, and engage with other entrepreneurs as they promote healthy lifestyles through better nutrition.

The 2021 YLAI Fellowship Program, sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, includes a three-month virtual fellowship between January and April 2021.

During this time, Fellows will complete the YLAI Entrepreneurial Leadership Curriculum and will work with a U.S. host organization for four weeks. They will also be paired with a designated mentor and will collaborate with other fellows to address shared foreign policy challenges throughout the exchange, the embassy said.

According to the US Embassy, they will engage in live events and cross-cultural activities. The program is a collaborative, enriching experience that combines technical entrepreneurship training with leadership development and networking opportunities.

The YLAI Fellowship Program is part of the U.S. continued commitment to the prosperity of Guyana and the region.

The https://ylai.state.gov/ website includes information about the YLAI Professional Fellowship Program and the YLAI Network.

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