Africa Leadership Initiative Values-based African leadership programme

The Africa Leadership Initiative (ALI) was launched in 2001 as a collaborative effort of six partner organisations in Africa and the prestigious Aspen Institute of the United States. The ALI (SA) theory of change is “to create enlightened and influential leaders who accept the primary of the common good and are prepared to accelerate South Africa’s development”. The organisation sees its purpose as “to drive conscious leadership and actively build the Good Society”.

The ALI SA Fellowship Programme selects an annual class of around 22 successful leaders between the ages of 35 and 50 drawn from business, government and civil society who participate in four one-week moderated dialogue seminars over an 18 to 24 month period which culminates in each Fellow launching a new project that stretches them and hopefully leaves a positive impact on their communities.

Beyond the borders of the Africa Leadership Initiative, ALI is part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, which is a worldwide community of successful, high-integrity, entrepreneurial leaders, named “Aspen Global Leadership Fellows”. Because these Fellows have demonstrated leadership accomplishments and abilities, they are selected from 14 sector-specific Fellowships around the world. These Fellowships are modelled after the Aspen Institute’s flagship values-based leadership programme, as well as the Henry Crown Fellowship Programme, launched in 1997.