United People Global (UPG) Sustainability Leadership Program 2021 (Fully Funded to the United States of America)

 Application Deadline: November 30th 2020 

For 2021 UPG is training and certifying 500 young leaders from all over the world and flying 60 of them to a FREE, complementary and immersive 1-week experience on an island in the USA: the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership. 

UPG Sustainability Leadership is about positive citizen leadership on sustainability. It is a movement that encourages and enables citizens at all levels to take positive action. A movement inspired by the UPG’s commitment to do what we can with what we have, rather than wait for someone else to act. It is accurate to think of UPG Sustainability Leadership as a state of mind.

Requirements

- people who are passionate in a specific area (e.g. jobs or education or oceans), there is no need to be passionate in all areas.
- people who have already taken action related to sustainability AND people who have NEVER taken action
- people from all world regions
- people aged 18 to 35
- people of different levels of education
- people who have a strong motivation to to be UPG Sustainability Leaders
- people who are willing and able to take action on sustainability
- people who believe in UPG’s mission to empower people to make the world a better place through positive action

Click here to apply: https://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com/united-people-global-upg-sustainability-leadership-program-2021/?fbclid=IwAR3MYujRXLA_wfcWCUlFHOQ61maNVmPb0aSxlI88hn2BArNLWmNVWw0qvBE

Swedish Institute Scholarships 2021/2022 for master’s studies in Sweden (Fully Funded)

 Application Deadline: January 15th 2021

Swedish Institute (SI) provides fully-funded scholarships for ambitious professionals to pursue a full-time master’s degree in Sweden. All the scholarship holders are included in the SI Network for Future Global Leaders (NFGL) – a platform to help the scholarship holders grow professionally and build their network. After their studies, the SI Alumni Network will be a platform for continued networking and further professional development for them. If you have a strong professional background, demonstrated leadership experience

Requirements

have already resided in Sweden for cumulatively two years or more, prior to the scholarship period (August 2021);
have previously been awarded a Swedish Institute scholarship for master’s level studies or research at a Swedish university/university college; Previous participants of the SI Summer Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP), and students who have attended SI summer courses in the Swedish language or the Swedish Institute Summer University (SISU) may still apply;
already hold a degree from a Swedish university/university college;
are currently enrolled in a study programme at a Swedish university/university college;
.

Benefits
SI fully covers your tuition fees to the Swedish university you are attending. This is paid directly by SI at the beginning of each semester.
You will receive a regular payment of SEK 10,000 to cover your living expenses throughout the scholarship. This payment is given monthly throughout the scholarship period.
Insurance against illness and accident.
Membership of the SI Network for Future Global Leaders(NFGL) – a platform to help you grow professionally and build your network while in Sweden.

Click here to apply:  https://bit.ly/3kbnOPy

Toyota’s Graduate Training Programme 2021 for young South Africans

 Application Deadline: October 31st 2020 https://bit.ly/351Wdd1

Toyota invites graduates to share in a journey aimed at producing future leaders through its exciting Graduate Programme. Toyota is based in Durban and Johannesburg, with the opportunity of a structured journey with wide career progression in various sectors. The Toyota Way Pillars of Continuous Improvement and Respect for people are the foundation of the Graduate Programme which strives to develop excelling individuals through a combination of 70% on-the-job development, 20% classroom training and 10% mentorship.

Benefits

Rotation - Incumbents are exposed to a variety of disciplines and projects. 
Training - World class TOYOTA learning and problem solving concepts. 
Employee Assistance - Access to a wide variety of services such as: Study assistance, Car benefits , Relocation, Competitive salary packages, subsidised canteen facilities and Employee health services. 
Performance Management - Competency and value driven performance management system aimed at developing future leaders.

Click here to apply: https://bit.ly/351Wdd1

New Media Writing Prize 2020 for innovative writers worldwide (£1,000 Prize)

 Application Deadline:Friday 18th December 2020

The New Media Writing Prize (NMWP) showcases exciting and inventive stories and poetry that integrate a variety of formats, platforms, and digital media. This international event is now in its 11th year. The NMWP encourages and promotes the best in new media writing and is leading the way toward the future of the ‘written’ word and storytelling. 

Requirements:

The Competition is free and open to any person whatever his/her age or nationality. 
BU assumes that where an entrant is under 18, the entrant’s parents have consented to his/her entry in the Competition and his/her agreement to be bound by the Rules.

Prize

The winning work will receive the following prize: The if:book UK New Media Writing Prize: £1000 donated by if:book UK.

Click here to apply: https://opportunitydesk.org/2020/10/16/new-media-writing-prize-2020/

Angola rises 15 points in press freedom ranking

Luanda - The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, praised the fact that Angola has climbed 15 points in three years in the ranking of press freedom, as stated by the Reporters Without Borders organization.

João Lourenço, who was delivering the State of the Nation speech at the National Assembly, which marks the opening of the 2020/2021 Legislative Year, emphasized the country’s 106th position in the ranking of press freedom, compiled by Reporters Without Borders in the year 2019.

He highlighted the policy of technological modernization and reinforcement of infrastructures of companies and public institutes in the Media sector, aiming at guaranteeing a greater and better performance of professionals and increasing the quantity and quality of services provided to users.

The Angolan statesman pointed out as the biggest challenge the extension of radio and television signals to the entire national territory, as established in the National Development Plan 2018/2022.

He valued the pilot experience of the digital terrestrial television project in the provinces of Luanda and Malanje, for further expansion throughout the country, in a partnership with the Japanese Government.

According to João Lourenço, the National Policy on Mass Media is in preparation, which will imply the reform of public media models and services, in order to provide greater quality and efficiency in the communication process of the state's agents, agencies and services.

The initiative aims to provide greater knowledge of governmental action and of the ethical, cultural and historical values ​​of Angola.

He touched on need to adequate the legislative package, as an imperative for greater exercise of press freedom by journalists, with a view to greater impartiality and independence in the production of information and greater responsibility in the exercise of the profession.

The President also spoke of the promotion of self-regulation process, as a mechanism of guaranteeing exemption and independence in the exercise of journalism, through the creation of conditions for the installation of the Committee on Professional Badge and Ethics for the increase of the institutional capacity of the Regulatory Entity of the Angolan Social Communication (ERCA).

The Head of State said Angola rose 19 points and improved its score on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2019, released last January, moving from position 165 to 146.

Covid-19: Angola to run 13,000 tests/day

Luanda - Angola will soon triple its capacity from four thousand to thirteen thousand tests per day, in response to the increase in the number of daily cases of Covid-19, announced last Thursday the President of the Republic, João Lourenço.

When addressing the Nation at the National Assembly (parliament), an act that opens the 2020/2021 Legislative Year, João Lourenço informed that the country will be in a position to carry out seven thousand RT-PCR tests and six thousand serological tests daily.

The president stressed that the increase results from the acquisition of five Molecular Biology and Serology laboratories, based in the provinces of Luanda, Huambo, Lunda Norte and Uíge, in addition to others available in the country.

The President of the Republic referred that four Covid-19 treatment centres and field hospitals were built in Viana (Luanda Province), Cabinda and Lunda Norte and also were adapted and equipped hospital structures in Barra do Kwanza and Calumbo (Luanda), to treat and ensure institutional quarantine.

In the provinces of Zaire, Uíge and Cunene field hospitals are under construction, as well as the Soyo (Zaire) hospitals which is a gesture from the American authorities, said João Lourenço.

When referring to the Executive's efforts to prevent and combat the pandemic, the President of the Republic expressed a feeling of appreciation and gratitude to those who are "at the forefront of fighting the pandemic", citing health professionals in the first place, but also the organs of  Defence, Security and Internal Order, Civil Protection, the airliner TAAG and Air Force pilots, the media, food producers and other essential consumer goods and long-distance truck drivers.

Meanwhile, during the act the minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, informed that Angola will receive a new load of tests, to continue the massive test campaign to Covid-19 and to assist with specific situations.