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Application Deadline: June 13, 2025
Applications are now open for the 2025 Tekano/Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa Fellowship. The Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa (AFHESA) based at Tekano is a leadership development programme for health equity in South Africa. It is about strengthening the capacities of progressive social change leaders to tackle the deep social and economic inequities that characterise South Africa and that impact on the health of its citizens. It creates a space for Fellows to connect action with a deeper understanding of the systemic causes of injustice; believing that an inclusive, equitable, economically productive and healthy society comes from action that addresses power and privilege, the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities, and equally challenges racism, classism, sexism and heteronormativity.
The overall Tekano Fellowship Programme works at strengthening the capacities of progressive leaders across inter-linked competency areas over the Fellowship period and into lifelong Fellowship. While these competencies form the foundation of the Tekano leadership development ‘ model, it is not at the exclusion of other critical competencies and is grounded in the ethos of community, collective and collaborative initiative.
Requirements
The fellows are changemakers who:
- Reside and/or work in South Africa. We welcome change leaders who reside or work in South Africa but come from other parts of our home continent.
- A proven track record of leadership and commitment to social justice and health equity. Evidence of prior social change work and leadership in the form of testimonials from communities or institutions with whom you have done your social change work.
- Are committed to attending and participating in all activities of the fellowship programme and completing required tasks within the deadlines provided.
- If employed, the fellow’s employers should have expressed support for participation in the fellowship. Written proof will be required and a discussion with the employer will be held where necessary.
- Reflexive, emotionally mature and resilient leaders who can hold complexity, contestation and contradictions.
- This year, we are particularly interested in leaders working in areas such as health system transformation and equitable access, energy, climate and environmental justice and health, spatial justice and health, water justice and health, digital health, people with skills in research, feminist organising and movement building, entrepreneurship, public policy and participation, Information Technology, campaigning, agenda setting advocacy, narrative work, law as a tool to advance social justice, as well as the scientific field.
Benefits
- Access to leadership coaching, mentorship and expertise to assist with the conceptualisation or implementation of social change initiatives.
- Small-scale resource support for ideation and implemention of social change initiatives.
- Financial support to cover all programme participation activities Only within the year-long induction phase.
- Opportunity to network, collaborate and be part of a lifelong community of like-minded changemakers locally and internationally.
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