4th call for applications, #AFFCameroon Africa Fact Check Fellowship
Deadline
March 15, 2021
#Background
The #Defyhatenow project launched and successfully closed its pilot phase between February and April 2020 and two more cohorts in the year 2020. Under the name # FactsMatter237, its phase has produced top-notch professionals in the fight against fake news and hate speech online.
The first and second cohorts of the improved version under the name #AFFCameroun launched in July 2020 and October 2020 saw a selection of 20 bloggings, journalism and cyber-influence professionals from the South-West, North-West, Littoral, Center and the west. More than 15 bloggers who are members of the Cameroon Bloggers Association of Douala, Yaoundé and Dschang have also benefited from these different trainings.
To date, there are more than 25 online fact-checking and hate speech detection professionals trained under the #DefyhateNow program with technical assistance from ADISI-Cameroon through its branch www.datacameroun.com. These laureates were trained as part of the quarterly fellowship in advanced fact-checking techniques bringing together various world-leading players and international organizations.
This other call opens the call for the selection of a 4th cohort for the next three months from March to May 2021 with the same program. The aim of this program as usual, is to create a critical mass of fact-checkers, fake news fighters, hate speech online and offline, and digital rights advocates.
Context
Fact-checking as a practice is not new; it has long been in the newsrooms. The fact-checking of online information and public allegations has increased in recent years. This growth is driven by the need to mitigate the increase in fake news online, a topic that is not well covered by mainstream media.
In Africa, organizations like Africa Check and Pesa Check have been working to combat fake news by providing active verification of news and rumors online.
In Cameroon the fact-checking ecosystem is nascent but is growing at a rapid pace, the most notable platforms being Data Cameroon, STOPBLABLACAM, Stopintox.cm , and the most recent being COVID-19 CM.
About the Africa Fact-Checking Fellowship
The Africa Fact-checking scholarship was designed to ensure the follow-up and success of our previous scholarships # FactsMatter237 and # AFFCameroun1. These scholarships were launched in January and July 2020 respectively. # FactsMatter237 aimed to monitor and map viral trends on social media related to major thematic issues in Cameroon. At the same time to select trainers. While #AFFCameroun, through its various cohorts, aims to put seasoned professionals on the ground.
#Africa Fact-Checking Fellowship (AFF) is an initiative of #defyhatenow in partnership with Data Cameroon edited by ADISI-Cameroon which aims to promote fact checking, data journalism and digital rights to journalists, bloggers and creators of content in Africa. The three-month program aims to equip fellows with the skills and tools to meet the current challenges of spreading fake news in their countries of operation.
The program is based on a blended learning model that uses webinars, hands-on lessons, peer-to-peer learning and hands-on fieldwork. Fellows will have access to a rich set of tools and online resources as well as a network of experts and professionals from around the world.
Selected applicants will be notified by email to join the program by March 15, 2021.
Who can apply
- Journalists
- Content creators and influencers
- Digital rights activists
- Bloggers
- Be between 17 and 35 years old
Conditions
Be fully available
About #defyhatenow
#defyhatenow is an initiative that aims to provide community-driven, data-driven solutions to the problem of hate speech, disinformation and fakes news. Our work focuses on creating a framework to increase trust among stakeholders by mobilizing civic action against all forms of hate speech and incitement to violence. #defyhatenow seeks to help voices acting against induced conflict online go ‘viral’ inside and outside affected regions by engaging young people, community leaders, grassroots organizations and other actors of civil society within a framework of peace in the media and information. Filling the knowledge and awareness gaps in social media mechanisms between those who have access to technology and those who do not. Finally, #defyhatenow is a growing network of online and offline peacekeepers.
About Data Cameroon
Data Cameroon is a platform edited by ADISI-Cameroon. Its goal is to promote fact checking, data journalism and press freedom online. It mainly covers national news and is made up of 4 permanent staff working at the headquarters of the organization based in Douala in Cameroon and has a network of more than 10 journalists covering the entire national territory and mainly the English and French speaking regions. with strong political, social and economic stake. It is an independent platform.https://datacameroon.com/
