GroundReport, the citizen journalism platform that aims to democratize the media, is a Semifinalist for the prestigious Echoing Green Fellowship. Echoing Green is an organization that invests in and supports ‘outstanding emerging social entrepreneurs to launch new organizations that deliver bold, high-impact solutions,’ with the goal of accelerating social change.
Through a two-year fellowship program, Echoing Green helps visionaries develop new solutions to society’s most difficult problems.
The Echoing Green mission states,
"…these social entrepreneurs and their organizations work to solve deeply-rooted social, environmental, economic, and political inequities to ensure equal access and to help all individuals reach their potential. To date, Echoing Green has invested $25 million in seed funding to nearly 450 social entrepreneurs and their innovative organizations…"
Out of about 1500 applicants, only 300 were selected for the next round. On February 11, with the support of GroundReport contributors Fred Obera and Dr. Khin Myint Oo, GroundReport submitted its application.
As the only mission-based citizen journalism platform, GroundReport finds it crucial to ally with authorities in the areas of social justice and public service. As mainstream platforms start to launch their own citizen journalism initiatives, it is important that independent citizen journalism, positioned as a check or complement to thse sources, is also cultivated.
Mr. Obera and Dr. Oo provided letters of recommendation for GroundReport’s application, explaining why a tool like GroundReport is especially important in their countries. Both Kenya and Myanmar have suffered from political instability and reduced press freedom over the past year. Recent articles illustrate this:
Kenya’s Future Now Lies in the Hands of Koffi Annan https://www.groundreport.com/Politics/Kenyans-future-now-lies-in-the-hands-of-Koffi-Anna
Myanmar Referendum in May Could Mean End of Junta https://www.groundreport.com/World/Referendum-in-May-Could-Mean-Negative-Essence-for-
Finalists for the fellowship will be notified in early April, and Fellows will be announced in late May.
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