The U.S. Consulate General Curacao is proud to announce the 2021 cohort from Curacao, Sint Maarten and Aruba for the U.S. Department of State’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship Program. This program will begin in January 2021 and close in April 2021, bringing together 263 young leaders from 37 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada for a virtual fellowship. This year we are pleased to announce that two young leaders from Curacao, one young leader from Aruba and one young leader from Sint Maarten have been accepted out of over 2,300 applicants.
The 2021 YLAI Fellowship Program, sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, includes a three-month virtual fellowship between January and April 2021. During this time, Fellows will complete the YLAI Entrepreneurial Leadership Curriculum and will work with a U.S. host organization for four weeks. They will also be paired with a designated mentor and will collaborate with other fellows to address shared foreign policy challenges throughout the exchange. Additionally, they will engage in live events and cross-cultural activities. The program is a collaborative, enriching experience that combines technical entrepreneurship training with leadership development and networking opportunities.
Meet our cohort:
Rendell De Kort from Aruba
Partner for Lovely Data, Rendell de Kort has experience in macro-economic research, data science, and public policy.
Gwendeline Leuteria from Curacao.
Managing Director of Gwen Inspires and Fathers of Curaçao, the male importance awareness movement, Gwendeline Leuteria has experience in creating courses for individuals and families, workshops, lectures, and social classes at schools to emphasize the importance of self-development and strong, healthy family cycles.
Evita Sanches from Curacao
Founder for MPOWR and Stitching Passionistas (brand name Passionistas), Evita Sanches has experience in creating projects, organizing events, and forming partnerships that stimulate creative entrepreneurship. Through her work as a marketing consultant, she also has knowledge about and experience with the implementation of marketing strategies.
Hemwattie Claudius from Sint Maarten
Founder and President of JCI St. Maarten, just rebranded as SXM A.C.T.I.O.N (Aspiring Change To Impact Our Nation), Hemwattie Claudius has experience in accounting, project management and customer service for ecommerce businesses.
The YLAI Fellowship Program will begin on January 11 at the virtual Opening Orientation hosted by IREX, followed by the four-week fellowship. The program concludes with a virtual Closing Forum in April. Fellows return to their ventures with new skills, resources, ongoing support from U.S. counterparts, and a broader network, strengthening business ties between the U.S. and Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada. The https://ylai.state.gov/ website includes information about the YLAI Professional Fellowship Program and the YLAI Network.
Follow the fellowship on social media using #YLAI2021Innovators