At Her Initiative, we believe that leadership is not just about titles or power, it is about purpose, people, and presence. It’s about leading from the heart, standing for what matters, and building movements that last.
This belief came full circle in May 2025 as Lydia Charles Moyo, our Executive Director, was selected to represent Her Initiative at the Her Africa Ubuntu Leadership Fellowship (HAULF) an extraordinary platform dedicated to reimagining what leadership means for African women today.
But HAULF is more than a fellowship. It is a movement.
What is HAULF?
The Her Africa Ubuntu Leadership Fellowship (HAULF) is a bold and transformative pan-African initiative that brings together emerging women leaders from across the continent. It seeks to redefine leadership through the lens of African values, global thinking, and feminist principles and to nurture a generation of changemakers ready to build systems that are just, inclusive, and community-rooted.
At its core, HAULF believes that Africa’s answers are already within us in our cultures, our traditions of care, and our philosophies of interconnectedness, such as Ubuntu: “I am because we are.”
This was not a traditional training. It was a deeply immersive and reflective leadership journey, with sessions taking place in Kenya and other parts of the continent, bringing together some of the most passionate, brilliant, and courageous women leaders Africa has to offer.
Why This Matters for Her Initiative
Being part of HAULF is not just a recognition of Lydia’s leadership, it is an investment in the future of Her Initiative and the thousands of young women we serve.
This fellowship is giving Lydia the space to:
- Reflect on her leadership journey and refine her vision and voice
- Learn cross-cultural and pan-African leadership strategies
- Engage with systemic change models grounded in equity and care
- Build lasting connections with a diverse cohort of feminist leaders
- Explore what it means to scale without losing authenticity and purpose
These experiences are not just professional development. They are fuel for the next chapter of Her Initiative’s work ensuring that our mission to empower young women socially and economically is not only sustained, but elevated.
A New Kind of Leadership — Proudly African, Deeply Feminist
What makes HAULF so unique is its grounding in African values and feminist ethics. It calls us to lead differently with humility, clarity, and collective strength.
It challenges the idea that leadership must be hierarchical or extractive. Instead, it centers community, shared wisdom, and the belief that power should be used to uplift, not to dominate.
As Lydia walks this journey, she does so not just as the head of an organization, but as a bridge-builder, carrying with her the stories, hopes, and strength of the communities we serve and opening up new pathways for collaboration, growth, and transformation.
What This Means Going Forward
Her Initiative’s participation in HAULF is a turning point. As we continue to deepen our work across Tanzania and beyond, the insights, tools, and networks gained through HAULF will help us:
- Strengthen our leadership pipeline for young women across our programs
- Bring more pan-African perspectives and solidarity into our advocacy
- Scale our work with intention, alignment, and a clear sense of purpose
- Hold space for healing, innovation, and care within our internal culture
Closing Thoughts
We often say that young women are the future. But at Her Initiative, we know they are also the present leading in boardrooms, in classrooms, in communities, and across movements.
The HAULF Fellowship is a reminder of what becomes possible when we invest in women not just to lead, but to redefine what leadership looks like.
We are incredibly proud of Lydia and the vision she carries. And we are more committed than ever to building an organization and a continent where young women thrive, lead, and transform systems from the inside out.