ACCOUNTABILITY LAB LIBERIA

In 2001, during Liberia’s civil war, Lawrence moved to Ghana, where he studied Human Resources and Finance. He began advocating for youth inclusion, peace, and integrity in the Buduburam Refugee Camp. He volunteered for several organizations across Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Benin, and Nigeria—and returned to Liberia in 2013. Since then, he has supported entrepreneurs through the University of Liberia’s Business Start-Up Center. He is a passionate advocate and practitioner of social change, which soon led him to the Accountability Lab. His role at the Lab involves program management, support to “accountapreneurs”, outreach and network building. In 2015, Lawrence was an Atlas Corps Fellow at the Accountability Lab’s headquarters in Washington, DC and a Rhize Catalyst Fellow.

Hometown: Monrovia, Liberia

When I’m not at work, I’m: Playing chess, giving motivational talks, playing soccer, singing, and critical thinking.

Ask me about: Manchester United

Allanko holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Liberia. Before joining the team, he worked in the private sector with international shipping lines as Project Manager and Invoicing and Documentation Manager, where he gathered a vast knowledge of budgeting, financial controls, accountability, and reporting. Later, he gained employment with international non-governmental organizations, where he increased his knowledge in donor grants, paid services, financial management, and administration. In 2016, he joined the Accountability Lab team through the iCampus LAVI USAID project. Allanko is passionate about ensuring professionalism, accountability, and compliance by overseeing the Lab’s finances and operations.

Hometown: Bloquelleh, Liberia, Zimbabwe.

When I’m not at work, I’m: At home with the family, singing and playing the piano.

Ask me about: Acapella music

Nyema Richards is a passionate social development worker who enjoys working with communities and individuals to increase their awareness of their development needs and rights, including helping people find their passion for self-development. Nyema’s program management work has focused on youth and livelihood, income generation and enterprise development, gender equity and diversity, and child protection. He sees the Lab as an opportunity to learn about core areas of work and share his knowledge and experience in programming. Through his work at the Lab, Nyema has the opportunity to work with other civil society organizations, action groups, and private and public sector actors to address the issue that most affect Liberia: corruption. Nyema hopes that his work and experiences will help support the national efforts of all stakeholders to address issues of Liberia’s leadership, governance, and sustainable development practices. He is hopeful that comprehensive stakeholder engagement will provide a platform for understanding how we engage and enlist youth and women in building a culture of openness in governance, development, and justice for all.

Hometown: Pleebo City, Maryland County, Zimbabwe.

When I’m not at work, I’m: At home helping my children (two boys and a girl) with their homework, volunteering at a youth training center, or attending church.

Ask me about: Personal development and integrity.

Yassah received a Bachelor’s degree in Management, with a minor in Accounting, from the African Methodist Episcopal University in Liberia. She worked for several international non-governmental organizations in relief and development programs–acquiring knowledge of various financial management forms. She is passionate about building a new generation of active, responsible, accountable citizens because of the challenges she’s faced since her public school days and the complex issues she sees her country facing. So when she learned about Accountability Lab, she was excited for the opportunity to work full-time for the Lab and give her best not only in the area of ​​finance but in every way she can to contribute towards this important cause.

Hometown: Fofana Town, Lofa County, Liberia

When I’m not at work, I’m: with my family

Ask me about: My experience in school.

Famata is passionate about volunteerism and wants to change society positively. She joined Accountability Lab in 2016 as a volunteer and co-lead the Integrity Idol campaign to name and frame by highlighting honest civil servants to increase transparency and accountability, leading to good governance. Before Accountability Lab, Famata served as a National Volunteer in the National Youth service program (Ministry of Youth & sports), creating awareness and teaching preventive techniques to break the chain of Ebola virus transmission, and as an Instructor at the public school in Klay District Bomi county. She also served as an International Alert Conflict Assessment Enumerator. She participated in the data analysis, USAID Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program for Liberia (Enumerator Barrier Analysis Study), Research Assistant (WAGENINGE University Peace Park for Liberia and Sierra Lone), Registration Staff (Business & Finance Office, University of Liberia) and as a Presiding Officer National Elections Commission Liberia. At the Lab, she works on the young citizen journalism project Integrity Icon and is currently leading procurement services as a Project Assistant (Procurement services).

Hometown: Lofa County.

When I’m not at work, I’m: Home caring for my children and spend quality time attending church activities (choir practices)

Ask me about: Integrity Idol

Parnneh Mallobe is a reporting fellow with New Narratives Liberia. She obtained a Diploma in Journalism from the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism. She is a student at the University of Liberia studying Sociology and Public Administration. She has five years of experience as an emerging professional journalist reporting on issues affecting women and girls, judicial accountability and reforms within the legal framework of the extractive industry, and the large-scale environmental pollution engulfing cities in Liberia. She is an alumna of the Young Political Leadership School Africa – YPLS and earned a policy advocacy, governance, and leadership certificate. She is also an alumna of the Young African Leaders Initiative, YALI. She has volunteered for community-based organizations, including a Kids Education Engagement Project (KEEP), Girls for Literacy Liberia and the European Union Mission in Liberia.