The new Youth Assembly Impact Program will provide scholarships to 10 young leaders from Africa who will receive individual mentoring, seed-funding and support to implement initiatives in their local communities that advance sustainable development.

“Despite its growing youth population, African students remain underrepresented in global higher education. By supporting programs like this on the high school and college level we hope to and increase awareness and provide timely scholarships,” William Gertz, AIFS Chairman and Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation trustee told The PIE News.

The selected scholars, aged between 18 and 32, will also participate in the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly – dedicated to tackling humanitarian crises, strengthening global food systems and uniting for climate action. 

“The world needs more active global citizens, people who contribute to a more just, equitable, peaceful and sustainable world.  

“Scholarship programs like this one that support young leaders and teachers around the world help create more active global citizens,” president and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs, Daniel Obst told The PIE.

Despite its growing youth population, African students remain underrepresented in global higher education

William Gertz, Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation

The Impact scholarships aim to reach young people with leadership experience, school or community involvement and an interest in global affairs and sustainable development, with applications opening later this year in collaboration with AFS national offices in Africa.  

The new program is funded by the Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation, which is also supporting the expansion of AFS’s Effect+ in the Classroom Program, providing a further 300 teacher scholarships across the globe.  

This virtual initiative equips high-school teachers with tools to engage students in global citizenship, helping them “to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals not only int he classroom, but also in the community,” said Obst.  

The program has already reached 1,000 teachers from over 500 schools in 65 countries, who have gained the AFS Global Competence Certificate.  

“Among those participants, we’ve had teachers from 30 African countries, most notably Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon and others,” an AFS spokesperson told The PIE.  

The scholarships are available to teachers around the world to learn about key concepts and principles of global citizenship education, including the UN SDGs, and how to foster it with their students.  

The most outstanding community-based social impact projects designed by students in participating teachers’ classrooms will receive Sir Cyril Taylor Young Leaders Awards.