Young Water Fellowship Program: Empowering Young Leaders from Low and Middle Income Countries

Applications are open for the Young Water Fellowship Program to empower young leaders from low and middle income countries to implement projects to tackle water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH), water pollution and water scarcity issues, by offering them an intensive training program, seed funding grants for their projects, and mentoring support by senior level experts during one year.

For its YWF 2019 Young Water Solutions will offer 10 young entrepreneurs (‘’Fellows’’) the possibility to participate in Cewas’ Start-up Training Programme. Fellows will also be assigned mentors, get the chance to exponentially increase their supporting networks in the water and entrepreneurship sectors, and apply for seed-funding for the first steps of implementation of their social enterprises.

Each year, this program brings about 10 young community leaders capable of successfully designing and implementing sustainable and inclusive water initiatives that significantly improve living conditions in their communities, while contributing to the achievement of SDG #6 (water and sanitation for all).

In 2018, 2019 and 2020 the YWF will have a special focus on social entrepreneurship. Young people with social businesses ideas (or projects that can be turned into social businesses) that address water-related issues are welcome to apply.

Program Structure

• Training: Fellows attend Cewas’ Start-up training and are trained by experts in:
  • IWRM
  • Project management
  • Business
  • Water and gender
  • Pitching
  • SDG 6
• Mentorship: Fellows are assigned water and business mentors according to their needs, who provide technical support and guidance.
• Project Implementation: Fellows are provided with opportunities for seed funding up to €5000 to pilot their initiatives.

Eligibility Criteria

• Be 18 to 30 years old at the time of the application
• Be the founder or co-founder of an initiative that contributes to the solution of a well-defined water problem in applicant’s country. The initiative should be in its initial stages and have the ability to be turned into a social enterprise (i.e have a long-term sustainability component or business model).
• Be a resident from low and middle income countries (mentioned below).
• Have a valid passport and be available to attend a workshop in Europe from August 3rd to September 7th 2019 (note that these dates might be subject to change),
• All training costs are covered by the organization (flights, transportation in Europe, accommodation, meals), but participants must cover their visa expenses and transport costs to the closest international airport in their country of residency.
• Be able to communicate in English (intermediate level at least).

How to Apply

Deadline: 24 March 2019

Applicants can apply via given website.

Eligible Countries

• Least Developed Countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia.
• Other Low Income Countries: Democratic People’s Repulic of Korea, Kenya, Tajikistan, Zimbabwe.
• Lower Middle Income Countries Upper Middle Income Countries and Territories: Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, El Salvador, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tokelau, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, West Bank and Gaza Strip.
• Upper Middle Income Countries and Territories: Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Fiji, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Gabon, Grenada, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Montserrat, Namibia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Panama, Peru, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Serbia, Seychelles, South Africa, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, Venezuela, Wallis and Futuna.

For more information, please visit http://youngwatersolutions.org/#ywf