WHAT IS THE TISDA ?

Transparency and Integrity in Service Delivery in Africa (TISDA)

Poor governance and corruption are both a cause of poverty and a barrier to overcoming it. Where transparency and accountability mechanisms are weak or lacking, poor people's needs are marginalized and development outcomes suffer.

The TISDA programme – implemented over a period of 3 years (July 2008 to June 2011) with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a total budget of USD $6,869,633 – supports African civil society in working with citizens to demand transparent and accountable financial management in the education, health and water sectors as a key prerequisite to improved basic service delivery and to ending the diversion of funds by private interests.

To support this participatory research and advocacy, the TISDA program includes a strong capacity building element built around horizontal knowledge exchange, peer learning, and tailored capacity building support to individual TI chapters. It will be implemented by TI chapters in Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.

Africa Education Watch (AEW)

Although a fundamental human right, education can be often a luxury only enjoyed by the privileged. When knowledge and diplomas are up for sale to the highest bidder or funds meant for schools are misappropriated, children are denied the path to a better future and are taught to be corrupt from the classroom.

The Education Watch Program aims to improve transparency and accountability in the use of primary education resources in seven African countries: Morocco, Senegal, Niger, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Uganda. It will assess waste, leakages and corruption in the education sector, and strengthen demand for policy reforms and improved service delivery.

The program consists of three components: national assessments (consisting of a financial desk-study, a user survey and provider interviews, as well as regional comparison); national coalitions, forming alliances and partnerships for national educational campaigns; and thirdly a strong advocacy campaign based on policy recommendations that will have emerged from the assessment reports.

The project is funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Implementation began in July 2007 and will last until June 2010.