Participatory Leadership Fellowship

Kick off Workshop: November 4-6, 2026 at Kufunda Village

Across Zimbabwe, Africa and the world, we are living through a time of great change. Old ways of organising, leading, and responding to complexity are proving insufficient for the realities we now face. At the same time, something new is emerging. The future is calling for forms of leadership that are more participatory, relational, and collaborative; leadership that trusts people's capacity to contribute, learn together, and co-create responses to the challenges of our time. Without this we will not be able to navigate the challenges that face us collectively

This programme is an invitation to emerging leaders who want to strengthen their ability to convene in participatory way, work across difference, engage communities as partners, and nurture collective action.

The journey begins with a three-day residential immersion where participants will experience and practise approaches that support deep listening, meaningful participation, collaborative decision-making, and co-creation.

Following the immersion, the fellowship cohort will continue together through a series of Peer Practice Circles and learning conversations, supporting one another to apply these approaches within their organisations, communities, and civic initiatives. Along the way, participants will bring real leadership challenges, learn from one another's experience, and deepen their capacity to lead in participatory ways.

Beyond individual leadership development, this initiative seeks to contribute to a growing culture and network of participatory leadership in Zimbabwe, supporting more inclusive, collaborative, and democratic approaches to creating change.

This training is for:

• Organisational leaders, social entrepreneurs, and changemakers

• Civic actors, youth organisers, and community practitioners seeking more participatory ways of working

• Anyone longing for new ways to lead, collaborate, and connect

• Anyone sensing that the future is asking something different of how we lead, work, and create change together

We will explore practices and principles that help groups:

• Listen deeply to themselves, one another, and what is emerging

• Work creatively and constructively across difference

• Engage with participatory and democratic approaches to dialogue and decision-making

• Invite diverse voices into meaningful conversations and collective action

• Strengthen shared responsibility, trust, and collaboration

• Co-create responses to challenges that no one person or organisation can solve alone

Come if you believe a different future is possible

and want to strengthen your capacity to help bring it into being.

APPLY NOW

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From past participants...

The training was a space of joy, learning, and transformation.

"Kufunda is like an old friend to me, always welcoming. Every time I'm here, I leave knowing myself a little better and feeling my purpose a little stronger." – Pamela

"The Art of Hosting opened me up to a different world of facilitation that I intend to integrate into my organizational development work.” Caroline

“The amount of new projects, new connections and new learnings that the Art of Hosting has made possible for each and every one of the participants is truly astonishing and exciting.” Quinn

These conversations gave me hope." – Lucia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=K43rxLfELYtMMjrx&v=kPmOI1wmFK8&feature=youtu.be