Call for Applications: AU-AIP Youth Fellowship and Mentorship to empower Africa’s next generation of water leaders

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Closing Date: 31 October 2024

Call for Applications: AU-AIP Youth Fellowship and Mentorship to empower Africa’s next generation of water leaders

Overview

Reports to: Global Water Partnership Regional Coordinator, Country Water Partnership, with secondary reporting to AU-AIP Youth Coordinator

Duration: 12 months

Contract Type: Desirable full-time engagement. An independent contractor may also be mutually agreed upon

Intoduction to the AIP Youth Fellowship and Mentorship

The AIP Youth Fellowship and Mentorship aims to support and empower Africa’s next generation of water leaders. The Programme will capacitate young people to advocate for water investments in Africa and job creation through gender-sensitive investments in water security, industrialisation, and climate-resilient development.

The AIP Youth Fellowship takes place in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Morocco, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia. These countries are receiving support through the AU Multi-Country Programme to Accelerate Water, Climate Resilient, Gender Transformative Investments through the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme, and/or are hosts to GWP African Regional Offices. The AIP Youth Fellows will work under the mentorship of a multi-disciplinary team of experts on different assignments in an international and diverse environment.

Objectives

The AIP Youth Fellows will provide support to implementation of the AIP to Accelerate Water, Climate Resilient, Gender Transformative Investments through the AIP. The AIP Youth Fellows will work under the guidance of the GWP regional Coordinators and the AU-AIP National Coordinator. The AU-AIP Africa Youth Coordinator and Advisor will provide overall pan-Africa coordination and guidance in coordination with the AU-AIP Secretariat. The Youth Fellows will also provide communication and knowledge management support to the AU-AIP High-Level Panel Campaign, Mind the Gap-Invest in Water.

Eligibility

AIP Youth Fellowship and Mentorship candidates must have the following credentials and characteristics:

Well-motivated to support the AU AIP Mind the Gap – Invest in Water campaign, willing to be mentored and to learn from their peers;

Recent graduates (within the last 3-5 years) with a Master’s degree in areas relevant to the work of AIP and GWP Africa. A PhD is desirable and an advantage;
Registered postgraduate students (pursuing a master’s or PhD) need to be positioned to graduate within 6 months of application. A reference letter from the academic supervisor may be required;
Have a solid understanding of international and regional development, gender, water security, water resources management, climate change, environmental management, sustainable development, climate change adaptation and climate financing;

Be fluent in English. Additional knowledge of additional African Union language such as French and Portuguese is desirable.
Citizen or resident of any AU Member State. Priority will be given to nationals and or residents of the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Morocco, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia.

Duties and Deliverables

Under the direct supervision of the respective GWP Regional Coordinator, AU-AIP National Coordinator and AIP Africa Youth Coordinator, the AIP Fellows are expected to perform the following tasks:

Support implementation of AIP and related ongoing projects at regional and country level;
Support implementation of the AU-AIP High Level Panel five-point action plan and recommendations, the AU-AIP High Level Panel Campaign, Mind the Gap-Invest in Water;
Support implementation of the AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard including data collection and research analysis to inform the national scorecard and potential of digital solutions including adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI);

Undertake research on the potential deployment and use of AI in water resources and water management;
Undertake analytic work on innovative solutions to improve climate resilience water security, gender transformation in the context of the AIP;
Conduct background studies on agreed priority areas relevant to advance AIP implementation

Compile best practices, lessons, and experiences on key thematic areas;
Provide support in coordinating meetings, workshops, conferences, trainings;
Participate in continental peer-to-peer learning initiatives to learn from each other on climate resilience and water investments;

Actively engage in national, regional and continental capacity building initiatives on youth empowerment on climate resilience and water investments.

Please note that each AIP Youth Fellow should have their own personal laptops. GWP Regional offices in coordination with the Country Water Partnerships and relevant national ministries will provide a working space.

At the end of the fellowship, the following deliverables are expected:

A report in the AIP priority areas that will be determined jointly by the supervisor, mentor and the Fellow;
Minimum two co-authored publications in peer reviewed journals;
Report on activities and results of the Fellow’s national engagements and support to advance the AU-AIP High Level Panel Campaign Mind the Gap-Invest in Water.

Benefits

The AIP fellows will be part of the AU-led teams supporting AIP implementation and will benefit from the network dividends at both regional and global level. At the end of the fellowship, the AIP Youth Fellows will receive a certificate and a recommendation letter from the AU and GWP-Africa. For best performing and exemplary fellows, AU and AIP will endeavour to make introductions to partners for further professional development. AIP, GWP-Africa and AIP partners may also retain some of the best and exemplary AIP Youth Fellows in regional programmes.

AIP fellows will receive a monthly stipend of EUR 500 for incidental costs. No other financial allowances are available in the Fellowship. A volunteer option, with no expectation of monthly stipend may also be considered for Youths who wish to join the fellowship but constrained by budget availability.

Applications

Applicants meeting all the above requirements are invited to express their interest through submission of the following:

A one-page motivation letter addressing the requirements as stated above;
A Curriculum Vitae;
Three professional references who may be contacted if you are short-listed for the position.