Each year, the UC Davis Global Affairs welcomes 99 African leaders to campus through the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, hosting the fellowship since 2016. The flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), the Mandela Washington Fellowship empowers young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking opportunities.

D-Lab works with Mandela Fellows to define and refine their interests and create project concepts. Fellows identify potential Needs, Opportunities, Resources, and Challenges within their communities and personal experiences. The Design Process is introduced, along with the Four Lenses of Sustainability.