Who will be South Africa’s First Integrity Idol?
Corruption Watch is one of the organisations supporting the Integrity Idol South Africa initiative, which has arrived in our country and will launch on 16 January in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. […]
Beauty in Chaos
Shweta Gulati is a Multimedia Photography and Design Fellow working to document change-makers and local communities in Nepal. […]
A TV contest makes officials famous for doing good
This blog post was originally published by the Young African Leaders Initiative. The globally broadcast TV show Integrity Idol makes rock stars out of public officials who have done good. The show works like other prime-time televised contests but selects a winner not based on singing or dancing talent, but on how much he or she has done as a public official to help people. The contest creates “a national conversation about corruption and shows the importance of honesty, integrity and personal responsibility in public affairs,” said Kondo Moussa, who was involved with Integrity Idol while working at the Accountability [...]
Rapping to Be Repped in Liberia
By: Anne Sophie Ranjbar, Associate Director and Maima Caranda, Volunteer As you walk through Monrovia, you can’t miss the catchy West African beats that play on every street. While Nigeria has traditionally been the hub for music in the region, Liberia’s young “Hip Co” artists are rapidly building a following in the region and beyond. Music has the power to inspire and inform people—acting as a medium through which to channel popular sentiment and shape collective dreams. As Liberia faces its next presidential election—a critical opportunity to consolidate democracy and peace after a troubled past—music can also serve as a [...]
Accountability Lab Ends “Rap to be Repped” Talent Hunt Competition with Live Music Concert Music
By:Gbatemah Senah. This article was originally published by The Bush Chicken. Hundreds of young people gathered at the Sports Commission on Friday to witness live performances of Liberia’s best young emerging new artists. Five finalists of “Rap to be Repped,” a nationwide musical talent hunt competition organized by the Accountability Lab, thrilled the crowd as they performed. Laurene Kolleh, the only female competitor among the finalists was announced the winner after receiving the highest points from votes by text messages and a three-member panel of judges. Onesimus Whoryonwon finished as first runner-up, followed by Alfred Flomo as second runner-up, while [...]
Accountability Lab Wins the SXSW Community Service Award!
We were honored to be a winner of the SXSW Community Service Award last week in Austin, Texas. Executive Director Blair Glencorse received the award from Hugh Forrest, Director of the SXSW festival in front of several hundred social entrepreneurs, artists, film-makers, journalists and other members of the SXSW Community. At the event, Blair dedicated the award to the Accountability Lab's teams around the world and the incredible people within our community who we support to build accountability in their communities: "This work is more important now than it has ever been" he said: "It fills me with great pride [...]
The global development lowdown at SXSW
By Catherine Cheney. This article by originally published by Devex. South by Southwest is an annual festival that takes place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. Photo by: Patrick / CC BY-NC Every year, professionals across sectors gather in Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest, a “destination for discovery” for music, film and technology. “South by Southwest, in our best moments, is about using technology, using creativity, using innovation to help people out who need help, to help level the playing field between the haves and have nots,” Hugh Forrest, chief programming officer for SXSW, said at the Community Service Awards Monday. [...]
Integrity Idol: Using fame to fight corruption in Mali
By: Charlotte Renfield-Miller. This blog post was originally published by IREX. Since the coup in 2012, Mali has been plagued by corruption, which has hindered the government’s ability to combat terrorism. Mandela Washington Fellow Kondo Moussa is having none of it—and he’s fighting back against corruption by turning honest leaders into rock stars with Integrity Idol. Mali established a constitutional government in early 2014, but the country faces difficulty in uniting its factions and establishing peace. The government is led by a small political elite driven primarily by self-interest. For example, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was accused of corruption during his [...]
Announcing the 2017/18 Accountability Incubator’s Cohort of “Accountapreneurs”
The Accountability Lab catalyzes a new generation of active citizens and responsible leaders around the world. Our core work is through the Accountability Incubator: a two-year program of support for the very best “accountapreneurs”. This year the application process was incredibly competitive; we had hundreds of applications across our three focus countries–Nepal, Liberia and Pakistan. We have selected 15 amazing young change-makers to join our Incubator and work with us to transform their societies through new and sustainable ideas for accountability. We've seen inspiring projects from past accountapreneurs, and this year we'll have a dynamic mix of first year and second [...]
Last Chance to Submit Honesty Oscars Nominations!
On April 14th, 2014, over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls were abducted from their Chibok boarding school by members of Boko Haram. One woman, Hadiza Usman, spearheaded the Bring Back Our Girls initiative and has worked tirelessly since to secure the release of the girls. In Colombia, over 4 million people have been forced off their land, leaving their country with a severe internal refugee crisis. “The Fight for Land” directed by Juan Mejia shed light on this relatively unknown issue with creative and powerful storytelling. These are just two of the winners of Honesty Oscars in 2016. Every year actors, actresses, [...]