ICFJ Knight Roundup: HackDash Gets a Makeover, New Code for Africa Tool Launched

By: Alex Fiorille | 04/13/2015

HackDash, a web platform that enables people to collaborate on innovative projects, got a makeover this week.

HackDash gets a makeover, Code for Africa launches a new tool and more in this week's Knight International Media Innovators roundup.

HackDash debuts new website for tracking ideas at hackathons

HackDash, a web platform that enables people to collaborate on innovative projects, got a makeover this week. Created by ICFJ Knight Fellow Mariano Blejman and Hacks/Hackers Buenos Aires, the platform debuted a sleeker design and improved functionality. The site even shows how many projects HacksDash users have completed: 200. If you’re unfamiliar with HackDash, click here to learn about its humble beginnings and visit the site to explore — or start your own project.

Data-driven tool brings attention to unfair wages

Code for South Africa launched a new tool this week. In conjunction with an ongoing story addressing the exploitation of domestic workers in South Africa, the tool enables users to determine whether they’re paying their domestic workers a fair wage. PressReader, Fin24, Htxt.africa, TechCentral and Biznews have all picked up the story, bringing the plight of domestic workers to national attention through data journalism.

Code for South Africa also created, in collaboration with Africa Check, an introductory guide to the effective use of data to improve journalism. The guide links to a variety of toolkits to empower journalists in holding government accountable and strengthening democracy.

Three Knight Fellows to judge achievements in data journalism

ICFJ Knight Fellows Justin Arenstein, Paul Radu and Mariana Santos will participate on the jury of the 2015 Data Journalism Awards, sponsored by Global Editors Network. The awards cover ten topics recognizing various achievements including data visualization of the year, news data app of the year and the use of data in a breaking news story.

Mobile platform combats "rural blind spot" in India

ICFJ Knight Fellow Shu Choudhary’s CGNet Swara was featured in a story by the Listening Post on the “Indian media's rural blind spot.” CGNet Swara is a voice-based, mobile news platform that allows anyone to report and listen to stories of local interest.

Tools to promote investigative journalism in Spanish-speaking world

Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) published ten Spanish manuals providing tips, tools and tutorials on investigative journalism, featuring two written by ICFJ Knight Fellows Miguel Paz and Sandra Crucianelli.

Knight Fellow one of 25 women leaders in digital media

ICFJ Knight Fellow Mariana Santos was selected as one of 25 women to participate in the Online News Association and the Poynter Institute’s first ever Digital Women’s Leadership Academy. This intensive, tuition-free program will include discussions with leaders in digital media on general leadership approaches and skills, managing digital teams and products and navigating newsroom culture.

In case you missed it…

Interested in the ongoing violence in Mexico and its implications for human rights? Read a recap of our panel hosted with Freedom House. The panel featured leading Mexican experts, including our own ICFJ Knight Fellow and digital security expert Jorge Luis Sierra.

Main image credit: screen grab of www.hackdash.org.

This post is also published on IJNet, which is produced by ICFJ.

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Sub-Saharan Africa
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