- Rising Voices Microgrants 2013 - https://rising.globalvoices.org/microgrants2013 -

Zimbabwe: Teen Integrity Bloggers

· Rising Voices

Categories: Zimbabwe, Governance & Transparency, Digital Photography, Mobile Phones, Social Networking

The Teen Integrity Bloggers seeks to promote the exchange of ideas on values of transparency, accountability and integrity among teenagers using the WhatsApp Messenger and facebook through training and digital dialogue sessions. Teenagers in Youth for Transparency and Integrity clubs will be trained to encode corruption experiences and response mechanisms so as to nurture a culture of honesty and observance of cultural value system by teenagers.

Topical focus:

Governance & Transparency [1]

Country:

Zimbabwe [2]

What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?

Bulawayo

Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.

The participation of teenagers in anti-corruption initiatives is often trivialized in most communities in Zimbabwe. However, as they progress to the formal sector as young adults, they are often thrust into a world of corruption to which they lack the ammunition to effectively respond. Working with teenagers would ensure that teenagers understand the effects of corruption at an elementary stage thereby cultivating good community leadership

What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?

Teenagers encounter corruption at various points of interaction along the chain of service provision. Teenagers will generate media output on corruption as they experience it at the schools, at health institutions, during sport and by the police etc. Responses to corruption encounters will also be shared at platforms of discussion ensue. Information will not only relate to teenagers’ direct encounter with corruption but observations as well

What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?

Digital Photography [3], Mobile Phones [4], Social Networking [5]

Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established that will contribute to the success of the project.

Transparency International Zimbabwe has existing partnerships with Government schools in Matebeleland Province where currently 7 Youth for Transparency and Integrity clubs are operational. The presence of these structures makes it possible for the targeted teenagers who already have a clear understanding of corruption to expeditious share corruption experiences using online media.

How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?

It is expected that 350 teenagers from the Transparency and Integrity (YTI) clubs will be trained . Since the YTI is an already established initiative, the participation of teenagers in the Teen Integrity Bloggers project will be sought through this initiative. The Teen Integrity Bloggers project will be incorporated into other outreach activities planned for the YTIs.Therefore we expect the online project to grow together with the YTI Initiative

Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?

2 Laptops, 2 smart phones, 1 internet dongle, Training kit on online media

Contact name

Nyasha Frank Mpahlo

Organization

Transparency International Zimbabwe