On December 7, Jean-Claude Mputu, a Congolese activist and 11th Hour Project grantee serving as the Deputy Director of Resource Matters, and spokesperson for the Congo Is Not for Sale Coalition, was honored alongside ten other global leaders, with the State Department Anti-Corruption Champions award. This recognition acknowledges Mputu’s exemplary activism and bravery in addressing systemic corruption and governance issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Secretary of State Anthony Blinken presented the award, which specifically commends leaders like Mputu who risk their lives to catalyze long-term transformation.
Resource Matters and the Congo Is Not for Sale Coalition are two relatively recent civil society formations that expose and seek accountability for corruption in the management of Congo’s natural resources. Mputu and his allies have exposed extensive corruption implicating top government officials and powerful businessmen. Their work has brought to light corruption on a massive financial scale, exposing them to a range of tactics, including legal action, that are meant to silence them.