Leadership material: Lebogang Mahlare and 24 other young women from Africa gathered for a leadership institute in Ghana.

Chemical engineering student Lebogang Mahlare joined 24 other young women for the Moremi Leadership Empowerment and Development (MILEAD) Summer Institute, a leadership training programme held in Ghana from 12 July to 4 August.

The women, named MILEAD fellows for 2011, were selected from 25 African countries and came from a range of academic, professional and social backgrounds.

Mahlare was selected for her accomplishments as a community leader.

These include her role as national media and marketing director for South African Women in Engineering (SAWomEng), an organisation founded at UCT by graduates Mabohlale Mampuru and Naadiya Moosajee to support women engineers in the country.

"One meets 25 phenomenal women who are striving for a better Africa," said Mahlare of the MILEAD gathering.