2016 Haller Prize for excellence in Development Journalism Announced

The continent of Africa is changing and as issues facing the developing world grow more complex, journalism has become a critical medium in which to throw light on them and chronicle real change. Created in order to promote African-led discussions around development, the Haller Prize for Development Journalism will be awarded to a writer able to explore insightfully the challenges and opportunities of digital technology in the development sector. 

The award seeks to draw out investigative journalist or persons interested in pursuing a career in this field and to all with views on development they would like to share. The Prize seeks out how best digital technology can empower people and development in sub-Saharan Africa and where the challenges are.

There will be 3 winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd place) and the successful entries will offer unique interpretations; either shedding light on sector failings or offering comment on best practice. 

The Prize is open to all sub-Saharan African nationals who are resident in the region and will be awarded for a piece of original, previously unpublished written work up to 1000 words in length. To date, our prize winners have gone on to write articles for the UN; have been shortlisted for Thomson Reuters awards; and been invited to attend African Development Bank conventions on climate change. 

Prizes up for grabs are: 1st Prize GBP 3000, 2nd Prize GBP 1000 and 3rd Prize GBP 500

To apply, and for further information, please email prize@haller.org.uk

Entries must be received by 24.00hrs. GMT on Friday 16th September 2016 and will be judged by an independent panel of international repute. 

The Prize winners will be announced on Thursday 17th November 2016 through a virtual Prize ceremony on our website: http://haller.org.uk/

 

About Haller 

Haller has been partnering with communities in Kenya for over 30 years. The organization has created an impactful model that has transformed the lives of over 45,000 people along the coast in Mombasa. Haller’s overriding uniqueness lies in its innovative farming solutions developed by Dr. Rene Haller – a UNEP Global Laureate. Our principles are based on better conservation techniques, such as crop rotation, manure and good water management. In 2014, Haller developed a Farmers App, taking advantage of Africa’s burgeoning smartphone market in order to put best practice in affordable, sustainable, scalable farming into the hands of smallholders. In the words of Haller’s CEO, Alia Malik, “We developed the Haller Farmers App in order to connect more farmers with information that could enable sustainable livelihoods. Digital technology is necessarily dynamic. It is the first step of a learning process - maybe what farmers really want is to be connected to each other”. It is for this reason we have chosen to have technology as this year’s theme as it is an integral part of both Haller’s future and Africa’s more widely.

PENPLUSBYTES @ 15: Statement from Executive Director, Kwami Ahiabenu II

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary celebration, we bring to you a message from Kwami Ahiabenu, II, the Executive Director of Penplusbytes. Full statement is as follows:

A decade and a half ago today, our dream became a reality. It’s a milestone worth celebrating!
As an organization, this 15th year anniversary gives us an exciting opportunity to recount our journey and the successes. Coincidentally, we have started rolling out a strategic plan from this year for the next 5 (five) years. Our values which include professionalism, transparency and ingenuity have enabled us to build relationships and form valuable partnerships to establish ourselves firmly on the ground across Africa.

In 15 years we have done some hugely important work in breaking the frontiers of technology and pushing it as an enabling tool for good governance, tracking the delivery of quality public goods and most importantly for demanding accountability from the people in power. Along the way we have picked up some valuable lessons on what works best in our mostly resource strapped countries across Africa and what combination of technologies can deliver life changing results for people and societies.

We have streamlined our operations into three main thematic areas to meet this challenge;

1. Governance
2. Extractives
3. New Media and Innovations.

In these areas we have undertaken projects that involve citizens in the democratic processes, enhanced the work of journalists using ICT tools and delivered real time information on the extractive sector among other things.

With our new strategic plan, we hope to attain the ultimate goal of finding mechanisms that work and produce timely change for our clients and beneficiaries. This, we hope to achieve through our leadership in leveraging technology and knowledge for enhancing good governance.
We take this opportunity to thank you, our partners, stakeholders and friends for your tremendous support over the years. We also look forward to forging closer ties in the future. Join us as we celebrate this year.


About
Penplusbytes is a not-for-profit organization driving change through innovations in three key areas: using new digital technologies to enable good governance and accountability, new media and innovations, and enhancing media oversight for effective utilisation of mining, oil and gas revenue and resources.