Partnership activities and how they address needs and challenges

“Africa is coming!” (in German, Afrika Kommt!) is a program supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, together with 19 leading German companies including Bayer and Merck. Its objective is to give young professionals from Sub-Saharan African countries the opportunity to gain insight on management, workflow and cooperation in German businesses.

Besides a nine month practical experience in a company fitting their specialization, participants complete intensive language and managerial training courses. Companies pay all costs incurred and provide grants to the young executives. Each participant is supervised by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), which provides technical and individual support, as required. Returning home, young professional can use their experience to advance best practice in their field.

The program is also fostering the economic as well as cultural bond between Germany and the African continent.