Princeton in Africa & The International Rescue Committee

“The International Rescue Committee has been so fortunate to have had a longstanding relationship with Princeton in Africa since our very first Fellows landed in Rwanda in 1999. Whether it was Emily or Renee in 1999 or the 110 Fellows across 14 IRC countries over the years, we have been blessed by the relationship, the quality of the Fellows and the impact on what IRC does on the ground every single day. I am proud that our organizations have such a strong partnership and I look forward to it expanding into the successful launch of the PiAf Nexus pilot going forward in 2023-24.”
Brian Johnson
Chief Human Resources Officer
International Rescue Committee

Princeton in Africa has worked with over 100 host organizations on the African continent. Among these include the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the African Leadership Academy, Save the Children, the UN World Food Programme and the International Rescue Committee. The IRC is our earliest partner, as we placed our first two Princeton in Africa Fellows with IRC, Rwanda in 1999. Our partnership with IRC acts as a model for our relationships with our existing host organization partners, and potential partnerships with future Africa-based organizations.

We would like to tell the story of our Fellows and their contributions to the drought response in Somalia. Emma Anderson, a 2021-22 PiAf Fellow, is a graduate of The George Washington University, class of 2022, where she studied international affairs. She worked as a Grants and Programs Fellow with the International Rescue Committee, Somalia (based in Kenya). During her 12-month placement, Emma developed a grant for her host organization resulting in an award of 2.5 million dollars for the drought response in Somalia. She says, “I was really proud because IRC gave me the opportunity to lead a big proposal that resulted in an extra 500k of funding for our drought response in Somalia.”

Emma’s impact at her host organization continues with Asa Cooper, the 2022-23 Fellow placed at IRC, Somalia. Asa is a Tufts University graduate of the class of 2022 where his studies focused on human security and conflict resolution in East Africa. His work as a Grants and Programs Fellow revolves around emergency responses to the drought across Somalia. You can read more about his work in our latest 2022-23 Fellows flyer.

We are pleased to see our Fellows work closely with communities, help tackle issues from the field, and support organizations doing great work in Africa. For nearly 24 years, Princeton in Africa has offered life-changing opportunities for young leaders. Our Fellows grow personally and professionally throughout their 12-month placements with some of the most impactful organizations on the African continent.

In 2023, we are expanding our impact. We are piloting Nexus in addition to our general Fellowship. This pilot will pair Africa Fellows educated and residents on the African continent with North America Fellows educated at U.S. accredited institutions for a co-fellow exchange of skills, knowledge, leadership, and technical expertise at some of the most impactful organizations in Africa, furthering the urgent missions of development and change on the continent. Read more about Nexus here.

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