Undergraduate Program 2026: From Learning to Leadership
After six months of intensive learning, growth, and new experiences, the Leading Change Africa Undergraduate Program 2026 entered its final phase in Burkina Faso. For this 2026 cohort, the journey has been an opportunity to build new skills, explore their potential, and gain experiences that will support them in the next chapter of their academic, personal and professional journeys.
Through training in leadership, entrepreneurship, critical thinking, computer science, English, and public speaking, they have been encouraged to develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to shape their own futures and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
As the program concludes, September provided an opportunity for learners to put some of these lessons learned into practice.
Engaging with the Community
Community engagement has been an important part of the scholars’ experience, giving them, opportunities to step outside the classroom and connect their learning with real-world situations.
As part of this experience, scholars participated in a road safety sensitization activity highlighting the importance of wearing helmets in traffic. They engaged directly with community members to raise awareness about road safety while distributing helmets to encourage safer practices.Beyond serving the community, the activity gave scholars an opportunity to strengthen their leadership and communication skills, build confidence, work collaboratively, and step outside their comfort zones by engaging with people in a real-world setting. It reinforced an important lesson: leadership is not only about what we learn, but also about how we use our knowledge and skills to serve, communicate with, and positively influence the communities around us.
A Milestone in Their Academic Journey
A total of 20 scholars participated in the interviews, which were conducted by a diverse panel of four evaluators.
The structured selection process gave scholars an opportunity to present their academic and professional aspirations, demonstrate their leadership potential, and reflect on the impact they hope to create in their communities. Beyond the selection itself, the interviews also provided a valuable experience for scholars to strengthen their communication skills, build confidence, articulate their goals, and practice presenting themselves in a professional setting.
Opportunities Beyond the Program
While the program is coming to an end, new opportunities are already opening up for members of the cohort.
Three scholars have secured international scholarships to pursue bachelor’s degrees in engineering and computer science in India, marking a significant milestone in their academic journeys and a proud moment for the scholars, their families, and the entire Leading Change Africa team.
Their achievements bring us hope and are a reminder of what can happen when young people are given access to education, mentorship, support, and opportunities to develop their potential.
For the remaining scholars, the journey continues through the National Scholarship Selection process, through which selected recipients will receive local scholarships in Africa to pursue higher education in STEM fields.
As the 2026 Undergraduate Program reaches its final phase, we celebrate not only the completion of six months of intensive training, but also the growth, experiences, skills, and aspirations of the young leaders who have been part of this journey with us.
We are excited about what lies ahead for them.
The program may be coming to an end, but for these young leaders, a new chapter is just beginning.
Continue the journey
Read LCA Spotlight: Shaping the continent's Next Generation of Young Leaders | 2026 Virtual Leadership Academy Graduation
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