International Fellowships for Leadership, Democracy, Human Rights, Social Entrepreneurship & more

Many international agencies offer fully-funded fellowships for individuals from developing countries to build their growth and increase their contribution towards the society. Fellowships not only award you with new sponsorship opportunities, but also enhance your knowledge and networking resources for the betterment of the world.

In this article, we cover a variety of fellowships offered to individuals working in various fields of development such as democracy, human rights, social entrepreneurship, civil society development, poverty and so on. Many of these fellowships give you an opportunity to travel abroad and undertake training in prestigious institutions. Some also offer grants for your creative work.
The Global Good Fund Fellowship Program 2016 for Social Entrepreneurs

Deadline: 1 June 2015

The Global Good Fund is accepting applications from social entrepreneurs with track record of success and potential for greatness for its 2016 Fellowship Program cohort. This is an opportunity to enhance leadership skills and accelerate personal development.

Eligibility criteria

• Individuals under 40 years of age (if 40 or older, explain rationale for Fellowship) can apply for these fellowships.
• The enterprise that the candidate leads should be at least one year old with at least one full-time employee in addition to the candidate.
• Candidate should be committed full‐time to running her/his enterprise.
• Candidate should be coachable and humble, meaning that s/he eagerly embraces honest critique and feedback and has a desire to learn.
• Candidate must commit to dedicate 15 months to The Global Good Fund Fellowship while remaining in her/his workplace
• Candidate must be willing to drive the Fellowship process and take ownership of her/his leadership development.
• Candidate should show commitment to giving back; s/he should actively mentor and invest in team members or other individuals.
• The enterprise exhibits growth potential, meaning scale or depth of outreach.
• The enterprise should be moving toward a model of financial sustainability whereby 50% or more of the budget is covered through revenue generation. If this level has not been achieved, this goal must be a top priority for the candidate and her/his enterprise.

Application Process

• Application process consists of 4 parts-
• Part 1: Complete a 15 minutes preliminary questionnaire section to check eligibility for the fellowship by 1 June 2015.
• Part 2 – By 15 June 2015, also submit an informal video recording (maximum 3 minutes) answering the following:
  • Motivation to set-up the enterprise
  • Brief explanation of what the enterprise does
  • Explanation on why you and your enterprise are unique and can address this specific problem area more effectively than anyone else.
• Part 3 – Selected candidates will be invited to complete part 3, the written section, and submit resume by 1 July 2015.
• Part 4 – Selected candidates from Part 3 will be notified of advancing to part 4 by 1 September 2015. This will consists of a 2 hour virtual site visit with the Global Good Fund team, meeting the core team members of the enterprise and community members. These visits will occur between September – October 2015. Finalist Candidates will also participate in the selection process whereby they will rate and score one another.
• Finalist Candidates will be notified about selection as a Global Good Fund Fellow by 1 December 2015.

For more information, please visit The Global Good Fund Fellowship Program.

Open Society Foundation Fellowships for Individuals

Deadline: 3 August 2015

The Open Society Foundations is currently accepting proposals from individuals pursuing innovative and unconventional approaches for its open society fellowships. The fellowship program seeks to fund work that will enrich public understanding of those challenges and stimulate far-reaching conversations within the Open Society Foundations and in the world.

A fellowship project might identify a problem that has previously not been recognized, develop new policy ideas to address familiar problems, or offer a new advocacy strategy.

Areas of Interest

Project themes should cut across at least two areas of interest to the Open Society Foundations:

1. human rights
2. government transparency
3. access to information and to justice
4. the promotion of civil society and social inclusion

Program Structure

Fellows may produce a variety of work products, including publications such as books, reports, or blogs; innovative public-education projects; or the launch of new campaigns or organizations. They may also engage in activities such as hosting panel discussions, traveling to conferences, participating in policy debates, and aggressively promoting their ideas in public venues. Fellowship projects can include photography, outreach, and advocacy around documentary film and other forms of cultural production.

Benefits

• Full-time fellows based in the United States will receive a stipend of $80,000 or $100,000, depending on work experience, seniority, and current income.
• Stipends will be prorated for part-time fellows.
• For fellows based elsewhere, appropriate adjustments will be made to reflect the cost of living in those countries.
• In addition to the stipend, fellows will receive a project budget.

Eligibility Criteria

• The program accepts proposals from anywhere in the world.
• Applicants should possess a deep understanding of their chosen subject and a track record of professional accomplishment.
• Past and current fellows have included journalists, activists, academics, and practitioners in a variety of fields.
• Proficiency in spoken English is required.

How to Apply

Applicants who are uncertain whether their topic fits within the Foundations’ focus areas are invited to submit a brief letter of inquiry, accompanied by a CV, before proceeding with the online application process. That letter of inquiry should be addressed electronically.

For more information, visit the Open Society Foundations website.

DAAD Scholarships in Germany for Students from Developing Countries 2016/2017

Brief description: Germany: DAAD is offering Masters Scholarships for students from developing countries at German universities 2016/2017. Applications for 2016/17 will be accepted from June 1 through October 15, 2015.

Subject Areas: Postgraduate Courses for Professionals with Relevance to Developing Countries
About Scholarship
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides scholarships in Germany for international students for a range of postgraduate courses at German Universities which aim at providing academically educated young professionals from developing countries with further specialized studies.
Scholarship Offered Since: Not specified
Scholarship Type: Internationally recognized Master’s degree
Who is eligible to Apply?

If you would like to apply for the DAAD scholarship “Development-Related Postgraduate Courses,” please make sure that you fulfill the following formal requirements:

• You hold at least a four-year Bachelor’s degree, completed with above-average results;
• You received your latest degree no more than six years ago;
• You have at least two years of full-time professional experience gained after the completion of your first university degree;
• Your English test scores meet the German University requirements.

Number of Scholarships: Several
Duration: 12-24 months, depending on the particular institution
Eligible Countries: Any developing country
To be taken at (country): in German institutions of Higher education
Application Deadline: The general deadline for application is October 15 0r December 2015 (depending on the German institution)
Applicants from Cameroon or Nigeria must submit their application file to the German Embassy in their home country.
Please send your documents in good time to ensure their timely arrival at the higher insitution.
Offered annually? Yes
How to Apply
Scholarship applicants from developing countries can apply directly to the postgraduate course. For further information about the application deadlines please contact the respective postgraduate course, because the deadlines may vary from university to university. The selection process generally takes place at the universities in the period from November to February.
Scholarships are usually awarded for the following winter semester.
Get all details about this scholarship here
Sponsors: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Important Notes: The postgraduate course and/or the university decide on admission after consideration of the application documents. Admission to the university is a prerequisite for receiving a DAAD scholarship. However, applicants do not need to request early or pre-admission to the university. Also note that the selection process for all postgraduate courses lasts from the end of October until February.

Exciting Opportunities This Summer

1. Become the bridge between customer and Codility in this pivotal role that will supply challenges and rewards alike.   Codility Customer Success Specialist Warsaw, Poland

2. Join a dynamic fintech company who are changing the way businesses are sustained in the UK.  UK Bond Network Project Manager London, United Kingdom

3. Adventurers needed to develop the language skills and cultural awareness of students at a Chinese University. Hengshui University English Teacher Hengshui, China

4. Do work that matters by designing and launching unique initiatives to help Cancer Research attain its goals. Cancer Research UK Innovation Manager (Individual Giving) London, United Kingdom

5. Work from anywhere in the world building incredible online advertising for a unique clinical trials company. Trialfacts Online Advertising Manager Australia

6. Join a young, tech-driven startup that is changing the insurance industry for good and help them promote human-centred policies. Guevara Customer Development Hustler Brighton, United Kingdom

7. Dynamic and experienced engineer and programme manager needed to mentor a school construction team in Ghana. The Sabre Trust Construction Programme Manager (mentor) Ghana

8. Change the face of marketing by joining a fast growing start-up backed by Techstars. Big Data for Humans Director of Content Marketing London, United Kingdom

9. Go volcano boarding, see lava, and meet people from all over the world; all whilst making the planet a better place. Sonati Trekking and Hiking Guide Leon, Nicaragua

10. Fast-growing fashion platform needs innovative numbers guru to support and enable the brand to flourish.  Lyst Financial Controller London, United Kingdom

Start Helping Africa From The Nucleus

Mburli Stephanie is legally to married Tanyu Stepehen and they have seven children.

They got married in 1975. Stephen collected Stephanie’s copy of the marriage certificate and hid which today is nowhere to be found.

Last year, Stephanie discovered that a birth certificate belonging to one of her children who wanted to register for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary level was nowhere to be found. With all these five children, Stephen had never bought books nor paid fees for any of them.

Stephanie and her children live on peasant farming and each time she cultivates and harvest, Stephen steals and take to the market for sale to enable him use the money to gamble.

At one time Stephen told Stephanie that he has observed that she is suffering a lot with the children and as such he wants to sell the only piece of land that they are having and Stephanie refused.

Stephen had collected money from people through a monthly contribution loan scheme (Njangi) in Binju, Nkambe Central Sub Division.

Last week, Mr. Stephen came to Stephanie with a group of members from the monthly meeting thrift and loan scheme to hand over to them our piece of land that he had earlier made proposals to sell.

Stephanie told the group of people to take Mr. Stephen to the Police but they refused and insisted on taking the piece of land.

Stephanie followed them to their monthly thrift and loan meeting house where she was informed that her husband owed them the sum of three hundred and twenty five thousand francs. She told them that she was going to pay and own the said piece of land which they accepted.

Mr. Stephen was asked to write a written agreement to prove that he has handed over the said land to them which he did.

Truly Stephanie has released Stephen on bail 8 times for illegal acts. Stephanie is pleading to the Commissioner of Police to use his office to help her on the following:

Let Stephen produce her copy of their marriage certificate

Let Stephen produce one of the children’s birth certificate

Stephen is a regular gambler; he will one day sell the house in which the family is living so Stephanie will be very grateful for the intervention of the Commissioner.

Mayor Tanjong of Tubah Council Objects Order from Nguele Nguele Felix, Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam.

Pa Bonu

Senior Bambui citizen Mr. Bonu Barnabas Chungong is blaming all the Senior Divisional Officers who have been in Mezam for being influenced by Nkwen to seize the Old Tubah Council Land and have appointed a commission to evaluate the properties. He was speaking to Tobby Vision (TC) publisher Coni T. Tawong in Bambui. All Bambui citizens have joined him and the Mayor to object to this Prefectoral Order.

See Prefectoral Order and objection in its entirety below:

Prefectoral Order No 192

Objection To PRefectoral Order No. 192/PO/E.29/ALPAS OF 10^TH APRIL, 2015

We write with reference to the above quoted Prefectoral Order and hasten to say without mincing words that we vehemently object the issue of the said PRefectoral Order for the following reasons:

1)   There is a land case between Nkwen Village in Bamenda III Council and Bambui Village in Tubah Council which has not been settled. A commission comprising twenty one personalities was put in place by your predecessor vide Prefectoral Order No. 114/PO/E.29/712/SI of 05^th April, 2010 (photocopy attached) and the results of the said Commission Members, claims and observations were recorded. At the end, the Chairman asked the two villages to submit any maps and relevant documents related to the field visit. Bambui village submitted a 1913 German Map (photocopy attached) of the grasslands showing river Memvie whose source is Lake Bambili as the natural boundary between Nkwen (Bafreng) and Bambui. In the same submission Bambui village pointed out that Tubah is Bambui and not Nkwen and the name means land on top of a plain “Tu” means “head” or “up” while “bah” is the land beginning from Four Corner to Fonta. The Bambui ancestors gave the name Tubah with a reason and the reason means land above a plain. If Tubah were in Nkwen, the Nkwen syllable “Atie” meaning “head” would have been the prefix e.g. Government Bilingual High School, Atiela–Nkwen. Similarly, the state of Cameroon uses geographical features to name places within the national territory e.g. Mezam Division named after river Mezam, Boyo Division derived from Mount Boyo, Manyu Division named after river Manyu. These are undeniable facts and truths which cannot be dismissed with a pinch of salt. Infact, the facts are ethnological, ancestral and peaceful. Proverbs 22:28 says “Never move an old boundary mark that your ancestors established”. Apart from the quarter Tubah beginning with the prefix “tu” the ancestors of Bambui village named the following quarters beginning with “Tu” – Tunui – the head of god, Tunibah above Nibah, Tula–a above the village and Tullam – above Mallam.

Emphasizing on the importance of the 1913 German Map of the grass field or grassland, Bambui village stressed that the Map was of paramount importance as it came out after the treaty signed by Britain and Germany in 1913. The Germans took over Kameroun (Cameroon) in which included the Bakassi peninsula.

2)   Consequently, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague in 2002 ruled that the land belonged to the State of Cameroon. In the grasslands of Bamenda province, the Germans also came out with an inter–village boundaries with maps for easy administration. The boundary between Bambui and Nkwen (Bafreng) remains the inter–village natural boundary that was drawn and put in place by the Germans. Since then, Bambui and Nkwen villages have never been involved in any land conflict that should necessitate the quest for an artificial boundary.

3)   Permit us to further mention the following facts to authenticate the fact that the Old Buildings and land of the Tubah Council is the property of Tubah Municipality.

a)      Tubah Council like other Councils is a state institution and by virtue of the laws and regulations in force, she can own property anywhere within the national territory of Cameroon.

b)      The Tubah old Council premises was jointly chosen by the late Fons of Bamendankwe, Nkwen (Bafreng), Bambui, Bambili, Kedjom Keku (Big Babanki), Kedjom Ketinguh (Babanki–Tungo) and Bafut as far back as 1927.

c)      Tubah was the Headquarters of Local Administration in the days of the then South Eastern Federation made up or rather comprising Bui(Nso), Ndop (comprising thirteen villages), Bafut, Bamendankwe, Nkwen (Bafreng) and the present four main villages of Tubah Municipality.

d)     That Tubah after decentralization after the colonial days still remained the Headquarters of Local Administration for the following villages: Bafut, Bamendankwe, Nkwen (Bafreng), Bambui, Bambili, Kedjom Ketinguh (Babanki Tungo) and Kedjom Keku (Big Babanki).

e)      That still on decentralization, Bamendankwe and Nkwen villages were disintegrated from Tubah and annexed to Bamenda Urban Council for the purpose of easy administration.

f)       The last and most recent decentralization was in 1995 When Bafut village was created to be a Council on its own leaving the Bambui, Bambili, Kedjom Ketinguh and Kedjom Keku villages to be administered as Tubah Council from the old council building vicinity.

Bamenda III Council comprising Nkwen and Ndzah villages was created in 2007 and cannot claim superiority over Tubah Council which is an octogenarian in this aspect to the extent that the powers that be are in favour of Bamenda III to expropriate the property in question. Tubah Council is wondering alound what is it that Bamenda III Council is better placed to do on the Tubah Council Old premises and structures that Tubah Council cannot do?

In passing, we wish to state that each time there was disintegration or decentralization, the disintegrating or decentralizing village or party left with the property that was acquired with funds from Tubah Council, for example, Tubah Council implanted the Forest Reserves in Bamendankwe and Bafut respectively, Tubah Council established the present cattle market in Bamendankwe, Tubah Council constructed the Njingte Customary Court  Hall in Bafut etc. It is also important to note that besides the assets that were usually being shared, liabilities was not the case as Tubah Council alone has continued to pay all living pensioners of the former West Cameroon from its annual budgets.

Some quarters have it that the place in question is at the boarder of the Municipality and should therefore not serve as the Headquarters of the Council. From this perception one is tempted to ask whether Bamenda which is the Headquarters of North West Region is at the central part of the region.

Mr. Senior Divisional Officer, Sir, from the facts and disclosures mentioned herein above, we shall be glad if you use your good office to cause a review of the Prefectoral Order in question to enable you take an equitable decision to give peace a chance, considering the far reaching consequences it has on the part of this Municipality.

Signed

The Mayor

Tubah Council

TANJONG MARTIN MESHONGONG

Cc:

The Governor, N.W.R,

The Hon. Minister, MINATD

Sir Thomas Amuhngwa Momah (Knight Of The Order Of St. Sylvester, Pope And Martyr) Laid to Rest today in Bambui, Tubah Sub Division

Two Bishops, about 80 priests, the Minister for Penitentiary administration, the SDO Bui Division, the Lord Mayor Kumbo Council, family, friends and the entire community joined the Momah family of Bambui–Tubah to pay last homage and farewell to Ba Thomas Amuhngwa Momah today Saturday, June 6, 2015. Sir Thomas Amuhngwa Momah who was born at Masoh quarter, Bambui village some 75 years ago and was later baptized by Reverend Father Mc Demott, passed away to eternity on May 6, 2015.
He began his academic career in September 1949 from St. Peter’s School Bambui, St. Anthony’s School Njinikom, St. Joseph School Mankon, St. Peter’s Teacher’s Training College Bambui, California State College, Los Angeles, St. Mount Mary College, Los Angeles and ended in 1977 at the University of Southern California for an Advanced Master’s Degee in Education.
Professionally, he taught in St. Mary’s Catholic School Mforya, St. Peter’s Catholic School Bambui, St. Anthony’s Catholic School Njinikom, St. Joseph’s College Sasse, Buea, St. Augustine’s College Nso and ended as Principal of St. Pius X’s Teacher Training College Tatum where he retired in 1995.
The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI conferred the title of Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester Pope and Martyr, popularly known by its Latin, Ordo Sanctus Silvestri Papae, sometimes referred to in the Catholic circles as Sylvestrine Order on Ba Thomas Amuhngwa Momah during the celebration of the Ruby Jubilee of the erection of the Diocese of Bamenda in 2010 which made Pa to become Sir Thomas.
It is worth noting that the Sylvestrine Order is one of the chivalric orders awarded by the Pope and it is the fifth ranking Papal Order.
The funeral mass which took place today at the St. Peter’s Catholic Church Bambui was had as main celebrant His Lordship Bishop Agapitus Nfon, the auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Bamenda assisted by Bishop Nkea Andrew, the Bishop of Mamfe Diocese and host of about 80 priests.
See pictures of the funeral mass below.

World Environment Day: Mendel Foundation - Tobby Vision Plant 100 Trees Along River Atunui-Bambui

Watch CEO Mendel Foundation Talking To Tree Planting Students