Think Creative - Issue 6

Creative staff from Nigeria-based NEI Plus, NLCB and REWARD watch their colleagues present their Ethical Art submissions.

Left: Third place winner, “Ubuntu Art,” submitted by the USAID REWARD team.

Jennifer Onyejekwe of the Nigeria Lake Chad Basin project, performs “Do the Right Thing,” a stage play.

Amina Aminu, the NEI PLUS media producer raps along to the contest’s award-winning entry “Rap Ethics Video,” submitted by the project team.

The Creative Way comes alive in our Nigeria-based projects  Taking the code on the road 

“Embracing the Creative Way” with NEI Plus Bauchi State Team Leader Mustapha Ahmed.

And the awards go to...

Ethics and business conduct do not have to be boring. Indeed, they can be artistic. Just ask Creative’s field staff based in Abuja, Nigeria.   With the release of The Creative Way, Creative Associates Internation- al’s new code of ethics and business conduct, the Ethics and Compliance team looked for an innovative meth- od to introduce what some may say is a dry topic.   The team, led by Director Joe Kale, was struck with an idea: Invite staff to develop their own interpretations of key sections of the code of ethics and business conduct.  They decided to capture the spirit, energy and creativity of the local staff of the three Creative projects in Nigeria, for this fun initiative. Calling it “Ethical Art: You Play the Part,” they turned their idea into a contest in which Creative proj- ects were asked to submit their

artistic takes on the new code.  “Employees could voluntarily partici- pate and create a piece of art around something that resonated with them in the new code,” Kale said. “It could be a picture, photo, painting, video, etc. Nine entries were received representing all the projects, and the quality was outstanding!” The deadline was set for early May, which coincided with a planned trip by Creative’s General Counsel Larry Grayer and Kale to Abuja.   The entries ranged from artwork to a play, with the USAID-funded NEI Plus project accounting for the larg- est number of submissions.  “The contest, held on the last day, was the highlight of the week in Abuja,” says Grayer.  Held at the NEI Plus garden, ap- proximately 75 employees attended the event, and each entry was pre- sented by the respective project to

a panel of judges, which included Grayer and Kale. Company–related prizes were awarded to the top three entries.  “There was a tremendous spirit of common purpose, a shared set of values and a great sense of comrad- ery,” says Grayer.  Kale was equally enthusiastic about  the event: “It was so rewarding to see all our colleagues engaged as one Creative team bonded by a shared set of values.”  Many staff members mentioned that coming together for a fun cross- program event made them feel like one Creative team.  “It was a wonderful week and op- portunity to help build relationships with our colleagues in the field,” Kale says. “We are so appreciative of the warm welcome, gracious hospitality and active engagement our Nigeria team gave to us!” n

FIRST PLACE “Rap Ethics Video” submitted by NEI Plus

SECOND PLACE “Do the Right Thing”

a stage play led by Jennifer Onyejekwe of the Nigeria Lake Chad Basin project 

THIRD PLACE “Ubuntu Art”

submitted by USAID West Africa REWARD program

Photos submitted by Amina Aminu

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