Young leaders for Mandela Washington Fellowship announced |06 May 2015

Two young Seychellois professionals – Naomi Ferguson born Adeline and Rodney Quatre – have been selected to take part in this year’s Mandela Washington Fellowship to take place in June.

The two Seychellois will be among 500 Mandela Fellows from all over Africa who will follow a six-week academic and leadership training in prestigious universities in the United States of America in one of three areas – business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and public management.

US ambassador to Seychelles Shari Villarosa revealed the names of the two Seychellois candidates who qualified from the 12 shortlisted applicants out of some 60 applications received. This was during a short ceremony at the Augerine restaurant at Beau Vallon last week.

Ambassador Villarosa said both candidates will be going to the public management area, thus highlighting the importance of good governance for Seychelles’ future.

Other than their training the two fellows will have the chance to meet President Barack Obama, a wide variety of US government, civic, and business leaders, and visit companies, projects and research institutions.

Aged 28, Naomi is a young physician working with the Ministry of Health for the past three years, and is currently serving at the Corgat Estate health centre. She will be going to the Howard University in Washington.

An  outspoken advocate for public health, Naomi responded  to an alarming rise in intravenous drug use, teen pregnancy, hypertension, obesity, and HIV by turning  to Facebook – Seychelles’ most-popular social media platform – to create a widely-used  ‘Health in Seychelles’ page where people can write and ask questions about personal health issues.  

Naomi has also been selected for an internship of a few more weeks following the fellowship and she hopes to learn innovative strategies for providing basic health information to the public. Naomi holds a Bachelor in Medicine and a Bachelor in Surgery (M.B.B.S.) from Melaka Manipal Medical College in Malaysia.

“I am really happy and privileged to benefit from such a great opportunity to improve my skills and obtain more experience to help me in my work,” Naomi said.

Rodney, 35, is a project manager in the research section within the National Parks Authority. He will be going to the Florida International University for his training.

Rodney has used his scientific research to successfully lobby for national conservation policies in marine protected areas. He has established working partnerships with private businesses and local communities to make sustainable development a foundation of government-backed economic growth projects.  He is passionate about environment protection.

After completing the fellowship, he will take part in a six-week internship designed to give him more expertise in public management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Coventry University (UK) and a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy from the Australian National University.  
 
“I was really not expecting to be successful but now that I have succeeded I am really happy and privileged, and I am excitedly looking forward to this great experience,” Rodney said.

Launched by President Barack Obama in 2010, the Young African Leaders Initiative or Yali, strives to identify and develop young Africans who will spur economic growth, strengthen democratic governance and enhance peace and security across the continent. Last year, President Obama, inspired by Nelson Mandela, renamed the Yali the Washington Mandela Fellowship.

Congratulating the two young Seychellois ambassador Villarosa said their success in the fellowship will lead to more success for Seychelles.

“The US embassy firmly believes that Seychelles’ success is good for both of our nations and that success depends so much on the young people,” ambassador Villarosa said.

Present at the event were the parents of the two candidates as well as Sheryl Rangasamy, one of the three fellows who took part in the programme last year.

 She shared her experience with Naomi and Rodney while another former fellow Christopher Lespoir sent word s of encouragement through a letter which ambassador Villarosa read.

Mr Lespoir and last year’s other fellow – Fatoumata Sylla – were not present at the event.