About

The Z Zurich Foundation is offering scholarships for young African leaders to attend the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town. The Foundation focuses on creating brighter futures for vulnerable people through four key pillars: adapting to climate change, improving mental well-being, enabling social equity, and responding to crises. They believe in fostering connections between knowledgeable individuals and those most in need to tackle society's challenges from the ground up.

The One Young World Summit is described as the world's most international community of young leaders. This scholarship program specifically targets 25 young African leaders who are working on enabling social equity through education, employability, or entrepreneurship solutions. Beyond just attending the summit, scholars will participate in curated pre and post-summit programs designed to support leadership growth, build peer networks, and amplify their impact.

Who Can Apply

Candidates must be aged 18 to 35 by November 2026 and demonstrate impact aligned with the Enabling Social Equity pillar of the Z Zurich Foundation. You must be leading an early-stage initiative that is not supported by major corporate or institutional funders, and this initiative must be a formally registered entity with a clear not-for-profit mission and a bank account registered in the organization's name.

You need to be serving in a primary leadership role within your initiative and be committed to actively engaging in the Pre-Summit Engagement and Preparation Program running from September to October, as well as the Post-Summit Debrief Session in late November. This includes participating in reflection and inner development activities. Applicants must also be willing to actively engage, collaborate, and contribute to peer learning before, during, and after the Summit.

What You Get

The scholarship covers full participation in the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town from November 3 to 6, 2026. This includes hotel accommodation in Cape Town from November 1 to 6, return air travel to and from Cape Town, all meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and ground transportation between Summit venues in Cape Town.

Beyond the summit itself, scholars receive access to the ZZF Pre-Summit Engagement and Preparation Program, a virtual program from September to October 2026 that combines personal leadership development with practical preparation for impactful Summit participation, featuring selected expert contributions. There's also a ZZF Pre-Summit Connection Day on November 2, 2026, which is a full-day, in-person gathering in Cape Town to foster peer connection and alignment with the Z Zurich Foundation.

Additionally, you'll participate in a Post-Summit Debrief Session online in late November 2026, and have the opportunity to apply for a one-year Post-Summit Fellowship offering holistic capacity-building support as part of the Z Zurich Foundation's Global Changemakers Program, though only a limited number of places will be awarded through competitive selection.

Deadlines

Application deadline: May 4, 2026

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the One Young World online portal. You'll need to complete the scholarship application form and provide information about your initiative and leadership role. Given the competitive nature of this scholarship with only 25 spots available for African leaders, ensure your application clearly demonstrates your impact in enabling social equity and your commitment to the full program engagement.