The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) will host a young professional as part of the Professional Fellowship Program (PFP), which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Legacy International. For approximately four weeks, Ahmed Sahraoui will assist NWRA staff with various projects. Ahmed is an engineer with a background in environment and safety.

“We are pleased that Ahmed will join us for the next several weeks. We look forward to his contributions as a member of the NWRA team while he is with us,” said NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith in a statement. “The Professional Fellowship program is an important opportunity for young men and women from foreign countries to meet new people and learn more about our culture and for us to learn about theirs. I encourage our member companies to participate in internship and fellowship programs. They are an incredible learning experience for the host and for the intern or fellow.”

The PFP links community leaders from the United States and six countries across North Africa and the Middle East. It is a two-way citizen exchange program designed as a capacity-building and professional development initiative that generates economic empowerment across the region.

"Hosting a fellow is a significant way to support the professional development and learning of emerging leaders from the Middle East and North Africa,” said Mike DuVall, program manager for Legacy International, in a statement. “Fellowships in American organizations support them in developing new skills, knowledge and work processes. Our fellows are working to address the most pressing social issues in their countries and communities.”

The program is for early- to mid-career professionals who have strong leadership skills and are committed to making a lasting positive impact through their work in the civil society (NGO) sector.