Call for Applications: Media Sentinel Fellowships in Southern Africa 2025

Code for Africa (CfA) is offering four Media Sentinel Fellowships to frontline grassroots researchers with expertise in social media listening and analysis and with a good knowledge of social media cross-platform coordination and messaging on platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp, and X (formerly Twitter). The six-month part-time fellowships are part of a joint initiative between CfA and the Norwegian ministry of foreign affairs to strengthen information integrity through detecting, disrupting and deplatforming malign actors in Southern Africa. 

The fellowship aims to protect inclusive democracy and human rights in the digital age. It leverages digital technologies to strengthen democracy with an emphasis on climate and LGBTQI+ issues in the following Southern African countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

• Table of Content
• About Code for Africa (CfA)
• Media Sentinel Fellowships
• Aim and Benefits of Media Sentinel Fellowships
• Requirements for Media Sentinel Fellowships Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Code for Africa (CfA)

Code for Africa (CfA) is the continent’s largest network of civic technology and data journalism labs, with teams in 21 countries. CfA builds digital democracy solutions that give citizens unfettered access to actionable information that empowers them to make informed decisions, and that strengthens civic engagement for improved public governance and accountability. This includes building infrastructure like the continent’s largest open data portals at openAFRICA and sourceAFRICA, as well as incubating initiatives as diverse as the africanDRONE network... continue reading

Media Sentinel Fellowships

Aim and Benefits of Media Sentinel Fellowships

The fellowship package will consist of:

1. Stipend: Fellows will receive a competitive monthly stipend depending on their influence as macro or nano influencers and experience in similar previous projects. 
2. Training and mentoring: CfA will provide the fellows with advanced training and mentoring in traditional and social media monitoring.

Requirements for Media Sentinel Fellowships Qualification

The fellowships will enable individuals to use their social media and analytics skills in conjunction with CfA’s watchlists and lexicons, for proactive pre-grouping and communication of early warning signals for early detection of toxic online content.

Therefore, applicants must meet the following criteria: 

1. You must be non-partisan, without any link to government agencies, paramilitary organisations, political parties, state-affiliated media, or other bodies that might create the perception of partisanship in either national or local politics. 
2. You must be fluent in English or French. 
3. You must have access to a reliable personal laptop or computer with stable internet connectivity to participate in programme activities, online classes, and mentorship sessions.
4. You must demonstrate an understanding of using social media platforms such as Facebook, Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, and X. 
5. You must be available for weekly one-hour virtual meetings. 

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more details, visit CfA Fellowships webpage