Corruption Youth Essay Winners

These two articles were the second and third place winners in the Corruption category of CIPE's 2011 Youth Essay Contest.

The Cost of Corruptions: A Tale from Indonesia by Riska Mirzalina

Article at a glance:

• While Indonesia is a land of abundant resources, corruption
  prevents the country as a whole from benefiting from them.
• The change from a centralized government to a
  decentralized government has not had the desired affect and
  has actually provided more opportunities and alternate paths
  for people to participate in corruption.
• Entrepreneurs, businesses, and associations must unify in
  their effort against corruption and bribery. The cost of
  not doing so is increased poverty, human suffering, and
  underdevelopment.

Article at a glance:

• A large percentage of Kenya’s GDP is used to repay foreign
  aid. Much of the foreign aid is lost or misappropriated due
  to corruption.
• “Kitu kidogo” is a Kiswahili euphemism for a bribe. Bribes
  are pervasive in all facets of Kenyan life. As a result many
  entrepreneurs are choosing to leave the country, which has a
  negative effect on Kenyan society as a whole.
• The new generation will bear the brunt of corruption.
  Therefore the youth should refuse any form of corrupt
  practices including cronyism, nepotism and tribalism. By
  utilizing technology and adopting social media platforms
  the youth can fight corruption.