Sweet sixteen and still growing. It has been 16 years since the inception of the African Nutrition Leadership programme (ANLP), and this year it promises to be even bigger and better.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN), together with a number of national and international partners, will be hosting 60 professionals from all over Africa during 2019.

The ANLP assists people who are working in the broader nutrition field to develop the transformational leadership skills that are needed to achieve sustainable development goals.

According to ANLP general manager Christine Taljaard-Krugell, the ANLP is a great initiative where professional people set aside 10 days for their personal development – with substantial return on investment.

CEN received 200 applications for this year’s workshop – a hefty increase from the previous year’s 50. For the first time, there will be two workshops to accommodate everyone.

Delegates from as far as Mauritania and Niger will attend the two 10-day workshops that will take place from 5 to 15 March and 23 April to 3 May at the Elgro River Lodge outside Potchefstroom.

The event will be facilitated by NWU academics and external members, and will equip attendees with leadership, communication, team building, mentoring and networking skills.

“The ANLP is one of the NWU’s jewels,” says director and founding member of the ANLP, Prof Johann Jerling. ”This is not your usual workshop where you sit, listen and go to sleep.”

He says the workshop exposes attendees to challenges, new experiences, and conflict situations to promote leadership development. It also helps attendees to grow their confidence and be able to lead others.

The ANLP issues an electronic newsletter - The Leader - three times a year. This ongoing educational tool addresses topics similar to those that have been addressed during the programme.  It also contains short pieces that alumni write, sharing their experiences.

 These are some of the delegates who attended the 2018 rendition of the African Nutrition Leadership programme.