WASHINGTON DC, 12 February, 2021 – Accountability Lab has announced the names of a new group of civic activists enrolled in our virtual Accountability Incubator for 2021. The Incubator is our flagship program for young civil society leaders to build sustainable, effective tools for accountability, participation and open government. It provides a non-prescriptive, supportive environment for creative, enterprising individuals with innovative ideas to inspire accountability in their communities.

Selected accountability entrepreneurs – or ‘accountapreneurs’ – receive 10 months of hands-on, comprehensive support including training and knowledge-building, mentoring, network building and media outreach. This year, the 77 accountapreneurs enrolled in our program will complete 14 online webinars ranging from human centred design and understanding risk, to finance, operations, social media and civic engagement. Sessions will also include methods for measuring impact and refining the perfect donor pitch.

The group includes young leaders with strong ideas for open government, transparency and accountability related to Covid-19 and broader social accountability issues in Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mexico, Niger, Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In Guinea-Bissau, the Incubator is being run in partnership with Observatório da Democracia e Governança (ODG) and with generous support from UNDP Guinea-Bissau.

Global Director of Learning at AL, Cheri-Leigh Erasmus said, “We are excited to welcome a diverse new cohort of accountapreneurs to our global incubator network. These dynamic change-makers are working on an array of approaches to strengthen accountability, including crucial budget-tracking, transparency and participation projects related to Covid-19 mitigation strategies.”

The accountapreneurs for 2021 beat out hundreds of applicants with projects that focused on mobilizing communities in various ways to mitigate against the economic and social impact of the pandemic. These include the development of hyper-local fiscal platforms, resource and skills building initiatives for women and youth, and multilingual digital advocacy and communication efforts targeting the spread of misinformation.

The new cohort joins a global network of hundreds of accountability advocates and community activists who have spearheaded projects ranging from a groundbreaking women-led health start-up to digital civic engagement platforms.

The 2021 Accountability Incubator kicks off with a global convening in mid-February before the series of digital webinars begins. AL network labs will provide ongoing support and mentorship for the accountapreneurs as they build out their ideas through the program period. Keep an eye on our social media channels as we introduce each network lab’s cohort over the next few weeks.

About Accountability Lab 

Accountability Lab is a global translocal network that makes governance work for people by supporting active citizens, responsible leaders and accountable institutions. Our vision is a world in which resources are used wisely, decisions benefit everyone fairly, and people lead secure lives. Read our 2021 Strategy update here.

*For further information or requests for interviews, contact Communications Director Sheena Adams on [email protected] or +2783-411-3161.

Sheena Adams