The I AM NALA Fellowship 2027 is an online programme from the Nala Feminist Collective (Nalafem) for 20 young African women political leaders who are refugees, internally displaced or stateless. It runs from January to July 2027. Applications close on 31 October 2026 through an application form, so confirm the details with Nalafem before you apply.
For Bahiyat readers, the call is most relevant to displaced, refugee and stateless women leaders from Arab countries in Africa, such as Sudan or Libya, provided they meet every criterion below.
At a glance
| Deadline | 31 October 2026 |
| Who can apply | Young African women aged 18 to 40 who are refugees, internally displaced, displaced or stateless. The form says other applications will not be considered |
| Programme period | January to July 2027 |
| Places | 20 young women political leaders |
| Format | Bi-monthly online sessions with trainings and masterclasses, possibly some in-person engagements |
| Cost to apply | No fee is mentioned on the form |
| Application route | Application form |
| Organizer contact | nalafem.org, hello@nalafem.org |
Read this before you apply
This call is published through a Google application form that names Nalafem and lists reem@nalafem.org as a contact. We did not find the 2027 call on the Nalafem website at the time of writing, and the form names no legal entity. Nalafem has a public website with a contact page. Please confirm the call, the dates and the terms with Nalafem at nalafem.org or hello@nalafem.org before you share personal details.
Who can apply?
The form sets a narrow eligibility. It states that if you are not a refugee, internally displaced person, displaced or stateless, your application will not be considered. The other criteria it lists:
- You are a young African woman aged 18 to 40.
- You are a campaign or women group leader, a member of an existing consortium focused on alliance building, a woman engaged in cross-conflict negotiations, or a young woman politician in political office.
- Your work aligns with the demands of the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and with Nalafem’s values: solidarity, social justice, dignity, equity and decolonial feminist Pan-Africanism.
- The form describes the cohort as young women political leaders from Africa, including displaced Africans in the diaspora.
What does the fellowship offer?
According to the form, fellows take part in bi-monthly online sessions, including trainings and masterclasses, with dialogues with mentors who are experts and senior leaders. The form also lists capacity and technical support, mentorship, solidarity, access and resourcing, and says the fellowship may include potential in-person engagements. It does not mention a stipend, funding, travel costs or a certificate, so ask Nalafem before you plan around any of them.
How to apply
- Check that you are aged 18 to 40 and that you are a refugee, internally displaced, displaced or stateless.
- Confirm the call with Nalafem through nalafem.org or hello@nalafem.org.
- Open the application form. It asks for your displacement status, country of origin and residence, education, occupation, a CV link and social media links, and it asks about the manifesto.
- Submit the form by 31 October 2026.
- Wait for news. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified, by 6 November 2026.
Advice from the Bahiyat team
- Start with the displacement criterion. The form is explicit that applications outside it will not be considered, so check it before you spend time on anything else.
- Read the Beijing+25 Manifesto. Alignment with its demands is a stated criterion, so be ready to say which demands your work serves.
- Match your role to the list. The form names four profiles, from campaign leaders to women in political office. Say plainly which one is yours and give concrete examples.
- Ask before you rely on anything. Email Nalafem about funding, language of the sessions and in-person plans, since the form is silent on them.
- Keep a copy of your answers. Only shortlisted candidates are contacted, so a saved copy helps if you need to follow up.
FAQ
Is there an application fee? The form does not mention one.
Can I apply if I am not displaced, a refugee or stateless? No. The form says such applications will not be considered.
Is the call listed on the Nalafem website? We did not find it there at the time of writing. The call is published through the application form, which names Nalafem, so confirm it with the organizer.
When will I hear back? Only shortlisted candidates will be notified, by 6 November 2026.
