The U.S. Embassy yesterday announced the 2021 cohort from Guyana for the U.S. Department of State’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship Program. A release from the embassy said that this programme will bring 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 three are:
Filisha Duke: Founder and CEO of Sure Gig. She 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 improving 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, the release said that 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 of Green Valley Organics has experience in insect and pest control, shade house vegetable cultivation technologies, and climate-smart agricultural practices. During the fellowship, the release said that 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 period, the release said that Fellows will complete the YLAI Entrepreneurial Leadership Curriculum and will work with a U.S. host organization for four weeks. They will also be assigned a designated mentor and will collaborate with other fellows to address shared foreign policy challenges throughout the exchange. Additionally, they will engage in live events and cross-cultural activities. The programme is a “collaborative, enriching experience that combines technical entrepreneurship training with leadership development and networking opportunities”, the release said.
The YLAI Fellowship Program is part of the U.S.’s continued commitment to the prosperity of Guyana and the region, the embassy added.
The https://ylai.state.gov/ website includes information about the YLAI Professional Fellowship Program and the YLAI Network.
