The West Africa Regional Community Organizing Institute (COI) is a training and capacity development program hosted by Yiaga Africa with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The program was formerly known as the Youth Organizing School. The program brings together a group of approximately 30-35 mid-career practitioners from West Africa countries who are working to advance democratic practices and economic and legal reform in contexts where freedom, human development, and good governance are fragile or at risk.
Benefits
Yiaga Africa will cover the costs of participation associated with attending the Institute.
Requirements
Please review the criteria below very carefully before submitting your application. If you do not meet these criteria your application will not be reviewed.
This is not an academic fellowship but is meant for practitioners only. We value practical experience over academic credentials, and we admit participants from civil society, political society, community and student leaders especially applicants who hold leadership roles in their respective sector to qualify for the Institute
Applicants must be from and currently reside in one of the West African countries – these include Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Applicants must not be more than 30 years of age at the start of the Training in August 2026.
Applicants must be actively working in the field of democracy and development.
Applicants must have a solid command of written and spoken English or French. All program materials and sessions are in English and French.
Female applicants and persons living with disabilities are STRONGLY encouraged to apply.
Selection Process
Applicants will be informed of their selection for the program by July 2026. Please do not email us concerning your application status before that time, as the program team will be very busy processing and reviewing applications.
Application Documents
All application materials must be submitted in English or French.
The application contains the following sections:
Applicant Information
Essay Questions
English Language Proficiency
Video Submission
Letters of Recommendation
Personal Certification
Method of Application
Click Here to Apply
For mMre Information,
Visit the Official Webpage
Application Deadline: July 14, 2026.