Isaac Castellano, an assistant clinical professor in the School of Public Service, in partnership with Fleurot Raharilala, a Mandela fellow alumnus and the executive director of Voluntary and Objective Works located in Antananarivo, Madagascar, completed their reciprocal exchange component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders program. The Young African Leaders program is sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Castellano and Raharilala organized five virtual workshops over the course of November at several high schools in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo and in surrounding areas. The workshops covered themes of leadership, mentorship, and higher education and reached over 200 students.
Castellano originally planned to travel to Madagascar, but the global pandemic prevented that from occurring. Instead, the funds from the grant were used to purchase equipment that Mr. Raharilala and his organization can continue to use, including a projector and sound system.