Atlanta Habitat hosts first Mandela Washington Fellow

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity is hosting Aboubaker Tourab, a Fellow from Djibouti, Africa in the Professional Development Experience (PDE) component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders through August 30, 2019.

Tourab is currently an urban planner for the Urban Rehabilitation and Social Housing Agency of Djibouti. In this role, he works on the World Bank’s Djibouti Integrated Slum Upgrading Project. The purpose of this project is to improve the living conditions for slum dwellers in selected urban areas and strengthen the capacity of public institutions in charge of implementing a zero-slum program. Aboubaker is invested in finding sustainable solutions for prevalent issues in his community such as poverty and the lack of proper housing. His long-term goal is to improve the overall quality of life of his community.

During his time with Atlanta Habitat, Tourab will be researching neighborhood demographics and other statistical information to help Atlanta’s leading affordable homebuilder in its revitalization work.

“Mr. Tourab and Atlanta Habitat share a common goal of improving the lives of families through quality housing and neighborhoods,” says Lisa Y. Gordon, Atlanta Habitat President/CEO. “As we work to provide affordable, decent and safe places for families to live, we are honored to exchange skills and experiences with such a distinguished Mandela Fellow.”

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The program fosters closer relations between the United States and Africa and empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement.

Tourab was selected from a pool of more than 38,000 applicants to become one of 700 highly accomplished 2019 Mandela Washington Fellows. These are leaders in public service, business, civil society, education, agriculture and other fields. They have a role in strengthening democratic institutions, spurring economic growth, and enhancing peace and security across Africa.

The 2019 Mandela Washington Fellows are participating in Leadership Institutes at 27 U.S. campuses around the United States culminating in a Summit in Washington, D.C. After the Summit, 70 competitively-selected Fellows remain in the United States to take part in Professional Development Experiences (PDE) – four-week professional placements with U.S. non-governmental organizations, private companies, and government agencies. The PDE component allows Fellows to learn and grow as young professionals while providing enriching opportunities for American organizations and local communities to participate in collaborative exchanges across the United States.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jill Strickland Luse, jill.stricklandluse@atlantahabitat.org