The Bezos Scholars Program (BSP) and the African Leadership Academy (ALA) are excited to announce the 2026 cohort of ALA Bezos Scholars. The Bezos Scholars Program inspires and challenges young people and educators from their schools to address issues they are passionate about in their communities.
Since 2011, BSP has partnered with ALA to select a team of five rising year two students and an educator coach to develop and host the annual South African Ideas Festival (SAIF). The festival, now heading into its 16th year, convenes African youth to learn, discuss, and design innovative ways to spark change in their community through social innovation and entrepreneurship.
The applicant pool is competitive; five African applicants from ALA are selected each year. Scholars are chosen based on their commitment to their education, demonstrated leadership abilities, willingness to embrace challenges, and desire to create positive change in their communities.
The program begins with community building before embarking on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Aspen Ideas Festival, where students engage in leadership training, exclusive conversations with acclaimed global leaders, and build lasting friendships with their fellow Scholars. This experience sets the stage for the challenge ahead: launching sustainable Community Change Projects to transform their communities.
“For more than a decade, the partnership between BSP and ALA has proven what’s possible when talented young leaders are trusted with real responsibility,” said Molly Pencke, Senior Program Manager at the Bezos Family Foundation. “The 2026 ALA Scholars represent the best of their communities—curious, courageous, and deeply committed to creating change. Year after year, they transform bold ideas into meaningful action through the South African Ideas Festival, and their impact continues to inspire us all.”
The Bezos Family Foundation is honored to welcome the following 2026 African Leadership Academy Scholars: Students Eric Wambugu, Katleho Nthama, Montaha Mansouri, Paris Ennyonyozi, Barack Ihekweazu and educator Lehlabile Davhana. They are each representing their respective home countries of Kenya, Lesotho, Tunisia, Uganda, Nigeria, and South Africa.
To see full Scholar biographies and photos, please visit the Meet the Scholars page of the BSP website.
###
The Bezos Scholars Program is a year-long leadership development program for rising high school seniors and educators from across the United States and Africa. It begins with an opportunity to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival and continues through the following school year when Bezos Scholars return home, participate in virtual trainings, and launch sustainable community change projects that transform their schools and communities. For over 20 years, Scholar teams have mobilized communities around various critical issues.
