OUR APPROACH

We believe that when good leaders communicate effectively, the world listens and change happens.

The New Voices Fellowship increases the visibility and influence of development experts from countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. By providing Fellows the skills to communicate and amplify their messages, the program shifts power to those with proximity to the communities they serve. Fellows use their increased recognition and work with trained advocacy mentors to advocate for policy change at local, national and global levels.

New Voices Fellows come from a variety of disciplines, ranging from public health to education to poverty alleviation, agriculture, and community activism. All Fellows are experts in their field with a deep understanding of broad development challenges and a passion for communicating their views.

The Fellowship Year at a Glance

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After 10 years showcasing the power and possibility of trail-blazing global health and development leaders from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the New Voices team is reimagining future possibilities. Moving forward, we will work closely with our 200+ fellowship alumni community to drive policy impact through the Aspen Global Innovators Communities First Global Collaborative.

Read more about this transformation in our news section.

The Impact of the Op-Ed

Esther Ngumbi (NVF '15) is a Kenyan entomologist. She was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois in 2018 because the Op-Eds she started writing as a New Voice Fellow set her apart from other researchers. Esther has been published in the New York Times, Al Jazeera, NPR, Scientific American, and All Africa, among many other outlets. In February 2021, she received the American Association of the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) Public Engagement with Science award, an accomplishment possible because of her prolific writing.

Meet the Fellow

Advocacy in Action

Dixon Chibanda (NVF '17), a Zimbabwean psychiatrist and founder of the Friendship Bench, had never conducted a major news interview. That changed after The Guardian published an article about his work during his Fellowship year. In the four years prior to Dixon's Fellowship, he averaged nine media appearances per year. In the four years following his Fellowship, Dixon averages 160 media appearances per year. Since the Fellowship, Dixon has had a documentary made about his work, has given a widely-viewed TEDTalk, and has been recognized by the WHO Director General for his innovative approach to treating mental illness. In 2019, his Friendship Bench was integrated into Zimbabwe's "National Strategic Plan for Mental Health Services: 2019 - 2023".

Meet the Fellow