The Tekano Fellowship programme on leadership development for health equity in South Africa is about strengthening the capacities of progressive leaders. The development of progressive leadership aims to tackle the deep social and economic inequities that characterise South Africa and that impact on the health of its citizens. It creates a space for Fellows to connect action with a deeper understanding of the systemic causes of injustice; believing that an inclusive, equitable, economically productive and healthy society comes from action that addresses the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities, and equally challenges racism, classism, sexism and heteronormativity.

While each module will have a very specific set of objectives, as a reminder, the overall objectives for the Yearlong fellowship are:

• To enhance Fellows’ critical thinking, conceptual and analytical abilities, enabling them to navigate the local and global political, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges that affect health equity outcomes in their various contexts.
• To foster a common understanding among Fellows on the drivers of inequities (health inequity in particular) and how these are structurally and socio-economically determined.
• To enhance self-efficacy, confidence, resilience, and the critical leadership skills and knowledge that will enable Fellows to contest dominant neoliberal narratives on health equity, and contribute to building alternatives, using intersectional frameworks (Decoloniality, Pan Africanism, Feminism).
• To deepen commitment, renewed passion, and shared social justice values among Fellows, as leaders and activists for health equity in their various contexts.
• To deepen Fellows’ social support networks and connections with an augmented ability to collaborate with their peers, Senior Fellows, communities, and other social justice advocates for health equity.
• To strengthen Fellows’ critical skills in research, advocacy, and innovation for health equity that advance and ensure the sustainability of Fellows’ social change initiatives.
• To enhance Fellows’ ability to develop and articulate a collaborative social change initiative with a clear monitoring and evaluation component.