In an effort to combat the proliferation of false information in today’s digital landscape, Dubawa, a leading online fact-checking organization in West Africa, has commenced the fifth edition of its Kwame Karikari fellowship. It is supported by the National Endowment for Democracy.
The fellowship brings together 40 media professionals across West Africa for a 6-month program running from March until August 2024. To equip participants with requisite skills through the course of the fellowship, Dubawa provided a 4-day training from February 26th to 29th 2024.
Among the core objectives of the training is to enhance the capacity of media professionals in understanding the narratives around misinformation on digital platforms. By equipping all parties with the necessary skills and tools for fact-checking, Dubawa aims to instill a culture of critical thinking and responsible information dissemination.
Speaking at the fellowship launch, Dapo Olorunyomi, the CEO of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), congratulated the participants on the opportunity to broaden their knowledge on digital investigations and advance their careers.
Olorunyomi emphasized the nature of democracy in West Africa and its pressing demand for accountability and fairness, highlighting the critical role of digital investigations in an era of rampant disinformation. He enjoined the journalists to remain committed to truth in the face of these challenges.
Akintunde Babatunde, the Director of Programs at CJID, warmly welcomed all fellows, walking them through a brief history of Dubawa and the growth of the fellowship through the years. He reiterated his goal to build a network of fact-checkers to combat the spread of misinformation.
Training sessions covered topics around accountability journalism, information disorder ecosystem, fact-checking practices and methodologies, Google fact-checking tools, image and audio verification, among others.
Following the training, participants are expected to build on their knowledge to produce high-quality fact-checks and establish or maintain a fact-checking desk in their respective organizations. The fellows will also serve as ambassadors of this essential mission in their respective communities.
Dubawa, a prominent fact-checking organization in West Africa, has launched the fifth edition of its Kwame Karikari fellowship, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy. The fellowship, which spans six months from March to August 2024, involves 40 media professionals from across West Africa.
The program began with a four-day training session from February 26th to 29th, aiming to enhance participants' skills in addressing misinformation on digital platforms. Dubawa's training covered topics such as accountability journalism, the information disorder ecosystem, fact-checking practices, and verification tools.
Dapo Olorunyomi, CEO of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), emphasized the importance of the fellowship in fostering digital investigations crucial for democracy in West Africa. He encouraged participants to remain committed to truth amidst widespread disinformation. Akintunde Babatunde, CJID's Director of Programs, highlighted Dubawa's history and the fellowship’s role in building a network to combat misinformation.
Participants are expected to use their training to produce high-quality fact-checks and support fact-checking initiatives within their organizations. They will also serve as ambassadors for critical thinking and responsible information dissemination in their communities.
