Applications are currently being accepted for the 2024 Code for Africa (CfA) Somalia Fact-Checking Fellowship, facilitated by Code for Africa (CfA) through its African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA). This program offers an intensive five-month incubation program tailored for media organizations based in Somalia. The primary objective is to assist these organizations in establishing their CheckDesks and enhancing the local fact-checking ecosystem, thereby strengthening their monitoring and debunking efforts.
Eligibility Criteria:
1. Applicants must not be employed by government institutions, state-funded media, or any paramilitary or security organization.
2. The newsroom or media organization must be headquartered in Somalia.
3. Applicants must hold positions as established journalists, researchers, editors, or managers within a newsroom, media-focused watchdog civil society organization, social enterprise, or research/policy institute, with a verifiable publishing history.
4. The organization must have an existing online presence, such as an actively maintained website and/or social media profiles, or a clear commitment to establishing an online presence at the program’s outset.
5. The media organization or newsroom must be a member of the AFCA network. If not already a member, the organization must apply for membership before applying.
6. Participants designated by the newsroom must pledge to utilize their newly acquired skills and tools to produce regular fact-checks, publishing or broadcasting debunks on the newsroom’s platform or an appropriate public platform.
7. Participants must be proficient in either English or Somali/Arabic, the languages of instruction and mentorship.
8. Fact-checks must be produced and published in English, with Somali being optional.
9. Participants must have access to a personal laptop/computer with internet connectivity for participation in online classes and utilization of digital mentorship and resources.
10. The organization must have capable and available editorial or managerial staff committed to participating in the agreed-upon period.
11. The organization must commit to timely and transparent communication from management and seconded team members.
12. Seconded trainees must commit to weekly online training sessions and task-based assignments.
13. The organization must commit to broadcasting or publishing content generated through the program at the specified frequency and fostering engagement on a suitable public platform.
14. Participants must undertake to share their newfound skills and insights within their organization and the broader journalistic/research community by showcasing their projects and techniques to peers.
Benefits:
Selected organizations will receive financial support grants to establish fact-checking desks or products. Additionally, they will gain access to hands-on technical training and assistance in developing economically sustainable models and establishing editorial production systems for their CheckDesks.
The Incubation Program:
The incubation program aims to cultivate a diverse ecosystem of local fact-checking champions to combat misinformation and disinformation. The program will include:
1. Financial Support: The chosen organization(s) will be provided with a modest grant to cover eligible expenses and activities.
2. Technical Support: Code for Africa (CfA) will deliver practical technical training, followed by personalized project mentoring, supported by CfA’s team of technologists, data analysts, multimedia producers, and editors.
3. Publishing Support: Participating newsrooms will publish their fact-checking outputs on their respective media platforms and will receive additional assistance for international publication.
4. Organizational Development: Selected organization(s) will benefit from online consultations with CfA to enhance audience understanding, refine fact-checking offerings, and explore potential revenue models.
5. Expansion Assistance: CfA will provide support for amplification and growth, including scaling and syndication assistance.
For further details,
Application Deadline: April 12, 2024.
