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The Youth Transformational Empowerment and Mentorship (Y-TEaM) Programme has entered its third year of implementation with a renewed commitment to nurturing a new generation of peacebuilders capable of leading transformational change across West Africa. Launched in 2023, the Y-TEaM initiative is WANEP’s strategic contribution to advancing the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda, providing a unique platform for young leaders to engage with issues of peace, security, governance, and development.
The launch of the 2025 cohort took place on 16 June 2025 through an online orientation session held ahead of the commencement of programme activities scheduled for 23 June 2025.
The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from WANEP’s fifteen (15) National Secretariats, fifteen (15) dedicated mentors, and the newly selected participants.
The event created space for knowledge-sharing, interactive engagement, and collective commitment-making—all aimed at ensuring the success of this new phase.
This year’s intake comprises 31 exceptional young people—14 women and 17 men—selected from a competitive pool of 785 applicants from across West Africa including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Delivering the introductory remarks, Mr Ifeanyi Okechukwu, Deputy Executive Director of WANEP, reflected on the programme’s growth and the increasing interest among young people each year:
“The Y-TEaM Programme reflects WANEP’s unwavering belief that empowering young people with the right tools and guidance is key to building peaceful and resilient societies. Each year, we witness increasing interest, which confirms that youth are ready to lead the change our region urgently needs.” — Mr Ifeanyi Okechukwu, Deputy Executive Director, WANEP
The session also featured messages from key institutional partners. Speaking on behalf of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, Mr Constant Gnacadja reaffirmed ECOWAS’ support for the initiative:
“We commend this initiative and align with it as ECOWAS, because it responds to the needs of youth, who represent a significant part of society. Youth are at the heart of our agenda, and this is reflected in both our youth and sports development centre in Burkina Faso, and Component 11 of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework, which specifically targets youth as agents of peace and change.”
Dr Chukwuemeka B. Eze, former Executive Director of WANEP and now Director of Democratic Resilience at the Open Society Foundations, emphasised the programme’s transformative potential:
“Our investment in youth presents an opportunity for the renewal of democracy in Africa. You are part of a cohort of leaders whom the continent will rely on—to reimagine democracy, revisit political governance, and shape transformative policy. I am honoured to serve as one of your mentors and look forward to our engagements, both online and in person.”
Mrs Levinia Addae-Mensah, Executive Director of WANEP, officially launched the 2025 Y-TEaM Cohort. In her remarks, she underlined the continued relevance of the programme, expressed gratitude to stakeholders — including WANEP’s National Network Coordinators and mentors — for their commitment over the past two years, and encouraged them to maintain their support as the programme enters its third year.
Y-TEaM 2025 Cohort: 31 selected participants from across West Africa.
Open to youth aged 18 to 35 from across the sub-region, the programme offers a competitive nine-month capacity-building package that includes online training, internship placements, and tailored mentorship. Since its inception, the Y-TEaM Programme has aimed to equip young people with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to lead peacebuilding efforts within their communities and beyond.
WANEP National Network Coordinators at the Y-TEaM orientation session|2025 Y-TEaM Mentors: Guiding youth for peace and leadership
As the Y-TEaM Programme 2025 officially commences, WANEP remains committed to supporting these emerging leaders in realising their full potential and driving positive change within their communities and countries.
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