The Nursing Now Challenge Fellowship (NNCF) programme was funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing through the Tropical Health & Education Trust (THET). The programme specifically aimed to build the leadership of early-career nurses and midwives in Africa and Asia, in alignment with the Nursing Now Challenge. Objectives Increase leadership (confidence, competence, and capability) of participating nurses and midwives, enabling them to be more effective and increase their leadership, influencing and decision-making abilities. Raise the status of nursing and midwifery within Health Partnerships and within their multi-disciplinary teams. Raise the status of women, who comprise the majority of the nursing and midwifery cadres, within the health workforce. Improve quality of global health projects undertaken by health partnerships, and thus partnerships’ outcomes and impact. Fellows were supported by both Zambian and UK nurses and AHP mentors. Aims To support six Fellows in five hospitals to complete a leadership training and quality improvement project (QIP) Country and Company involved Zambia Ministry of Health Lusaka College of Nursing University Teaching Hospital (Adult Hospital) Cancer Diseases Hospital Maina Soko Military Hospital St Francis Mission Hospital Chipata Central Hospital Final outcome Key outputs include: Completion of quality improvement projects in Emergency Nursing, Critical Care Nursing and Operating Theatre Nursing 5 virtual Community of Practices created, supporting Fellows working in Emergency & Trauma, Critical Care and Operating Theatre Nursing. Local mentors supported Fellows with their clinical projects and reflections from practice. Delivery of the BCU / Lusaka College of Nursing Mentorship train the trainer’s programme for local mentors. Writing for publication train the trainer’s programme for Fellows. International NHS / academic mentors provided professional and technical support quality improvement projects. Delivery of leadership journal clubs Publication in an international nursing journal which coincided with International Nurses Day. Blog raising the profile and importance of investing in specialist nurses for the Tropical Health & Education Trust. Presentations at two international conferences. Further information Fellows presented at the pre-World Health Assembly Notter J. Carter C. Mukonka-Sakala P. et al. (2022). Handing on the batten: developing early career nurse leaders. British Journal of Nursing. 31. 9. 504-505 Blog published by Fellows A Voice to Lead: Strengthening Specialist Nursing Practice in Zambia