The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will establish a mentorship and networking program with the goal of advancing and supporting the careers and professional development of early-career women working in vaccine development in Africa. The program will initially engage a cohort of about 36 participants from low- and middle-income African countries paired with six mentors, primarily from the United States and Africa. The objectives of the program are: 1) to develop and foster relationships among female professionals from different institutions, cultures, and countries; 2) enable the transfer of career-development and leadership skills and knowledge among practitioners; and 3) build an extended support system by establishing an active professional network. Following the first cohort, a second cohort will be engaged, mirroring the structure established in the first cohort and incorporating feedback from program participants.

For each cohort, six mentorship groups will be formed, each comprised of two mentors, one from the United States and one from Africa, and six mentees from Africa. Activities will combine both in-person and online trainings and interactions to build capacity and expand the mentee's professional network over the course of each year-long mentorship. At the beginning of each cohort, participants attend one in-person, two-day workshop at a central location to connect mentor/mentee groups with each other, conduct a needs assessment, and develop mentorship plans and goals. Trainers will be engaged from both the private and public sector, each focusing on a critical aspect of career advancement for women in the field.

Following the initial workshop, mentorship groups will meet twice a month to discuss progress and implementation of training. Virtual trainings will also be provided to program participants on a monthly basis, driven by priorities highlighted at the in-person workshop and allowing them to share their experiences with the entire network of participants.

*NOTE: The statement of task was revised on 4/30/2026.