Fellows will counter climate mis/disinformation and establish fact-checking desks that spotlight toxic mis/disinformation
Code for Africa (CfA) is offering stipend-based fellowships to eight African climate change journalists who are participants in AFCA community activities to tackle issues such as climate denialism or delayism and related mis/disinformation.
These part-time fellowships are part of the joint initiative between CfA and Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) to support the African newsrooms in systemic debunking of climate denialist/delayist content that subverts public discourse or undermines democratic processes.
We will award eight 9-month long stipend-based fellowships to pioneering climate journalists at AFCA member newsrooms in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa, to establish flagship fact-checking desks that spotlight the most egregious or toxic disinformation.
The fellows will receive intensive editorial mentoring from our in-country PesaCheck/iLAB investigators and international ISD/climate experts (via webinars/workshops), while their newsrooms will receive strategic support to develop mass impact audiences and sustainable business models for the climate desks.
Fellow’s fact-checks will be syndicated to the rest of African Fact Checking Alliance’s 144 member newsroom network, as well as converted into Wikipedia entries and, where appropriate, submitted to Facebook to help counteract climate misinformation on the platform.
The details of the fellowship are outlined as follows:
- Number of awards: Up to eight Fellows will be selected.
- Duration: 9 months
- Award amount: Each Fellow will receive a US $450/month stipend.
- Additional support: Fellows will receive hands-on technical training, followed by one-on-one project mentorship by the fact-checking team from PesaCheck, investigative analysts from the iLAB, along with support from CfA’s staff technologists, data analysts, multimedia producers and editors. Fellows will also receive support to establish flagship fact-checking desks that spotlight the most egregious or toxic disinformation.
- Publishing support: Fellows will publish their project in their ‘home’ media, but will receive support to also publish internationally.
Applicants must meet the following criteria
- You must be an established climate-focused journalist or digital storyteller with a minimum of one year working in the media. You must have a portfolio of published work you can share.
- You must have experience investigating and reporting on environmental issues/climate change.
- You must have experience in fact checking.
- You must have participated in at least one Code for Africa’s AFCA Network activity/event.
- You must be fluent in English.
- You must be affiliated with a media partner: As such you must publish/broadcast your work in mainstream media.
- You must be based in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal or South Africa.
Complete this form to apply for the fellowship.Deadline for submission: 05 August 2022.