Info-checked

Today, on International Democracy Day, Info Checked reaffirms that democracy is not sustained by elections alone it is sustained by truth.

An informed citizenry is the heart of any functioning democracy. As The Gambia moves toward its next electoral cycle, defending against disinformation is not separate from defending democracy it is central to it.

We remain committed to media literacy, fact-checking, and equipping Gambians to tell fact from falsehood. Democracy thrives when people can trust what they read and participate with confidence.

“Truth is a democratic right. We will keep defending it”.

🎙️ Info Checked's 5-Year Journey On Air!

As we celebrate 5 years of fighting misinformation in The Gambia, our Executive Director Omar Camara sits down with Ebrima Sonko on the Dialectic Space Podcast to talk about our story so far the work we've done, the impact we've made, and where we're headed next.

Tune in live:
🗓️ Tuesday, 15 Sept 2026
🕐 1PM GMT

📍 Facebook: Sonko
📍 YouTube: Space

Don't miss this conversation on information integrity, growth, and the road ahead! 🇬🇲

The Presidential election is just around the corner and already, the social space is toxic with tribal rhetoric, hate speech, and misinformation.

But, do you know the dangers these things can cause? Well, with the proliferation of online users and anonymous accounts, these people hide behind such accounts to push false narratives and incite tribal rhetoric, hate speech, and misinformation to control public perceptions and incite hatred amongst people.

As the country's leading fact-checking organization, Info-Checked is conducting mass online monitoring, debunking, and flagging unverified information, tribal remarks, and hate speech to disarm peddlers of such information and sanitize the information ecosystem. Election misinformation is dangerous; thus, we urge people to send any claim they come across online and share it with us to fact-check and verify in real-time.

The fight against misinformation is everyone’s business, let's bandwagon in the fight.

Info-Checked, your trusted fact-checking organization.

🎉 Staff Shoutout: Mariama Lisaa, Co-Founder & Founding Board Chair

Our shoutout week continues! Today, we celebrate someone whose story is Info Checked’s story: Mariama, Co-Founder, former Programme Manager, and now Founding Board Chair. She has since positioned herself as a disinformation expert and trainer on media and information literacy across Africa and beyond.

Mariama has done everything for Info Checked. Five years ago, she set out with a vision: to build The Gambia’s first fact-checking organization. From those early days as Fact Check Center-The Gambia to where Info Checked stands today, Mariama has been there every step of the way as a founder, as the Programme Manager who helped shape our work on the ground, and now as Founding Board Chair guiding our next chapter.

In her own words:

“We were more inspired by the fact that we wanted to do something new like fact-checking, seeing how people easily believed rumors during the new political dispensation. And it wasn’t going to cost us much finances as I used to say, what we need more is internet, laptops, and phones to call. When we needed to go out for research, we put together what we had and went. Most importantly, we knew we could do 80% of the work with internet, phone, and laptops.

The decision to form Fact Check Center-The Gambia through fact-checking I started, I gave back, I worked, I trained. Sometimes when I look back at how we started and where we are today, I can’t help but remember what I always tell myself: money is beside the point. The work is more important because it serves a purpose, and when that purpose is fulfilled, donors will come with time.

When I look at the young people that volunteer and believe in nothing but getting the work done, I can’t help but remember my motivation when we started. Every publication by any member of the organization is a proud moment for me.

My vision is to keep focusing on serving the purpose of providing reliable information to the public until the center gains the A international recognition that it deserves for the work we do.”

Thank you, Mariama, for your vision, leadership, and everything you’ve poured into this journey. Here’s to more milestones ahead! 🙌

🎉 Staff Shoutout: Muhammed Lamin Touray IT and OSINT Specialist

Our shoutout week continues! Today, we celebrate one of the brains behind the facts at Info Checked, Muhammed Lamin Touray, our IT and OSINT Specialist. He started as a Communications Officer and has since become a top trainer in fact-checking, digital verification, and analytics.

In his own words:

“I didn’t join Info Checked simply to check what was true or false. I became interested in the bigger question: how does information shape what people believe?

From Fact Check Center-The Gambia to Info Checked, I’ve watched that question become more complicated as technology changed. I’m grateful to Omar and Mariama, the founders, for creating the space and vision that allowed me to be part of that journey.

Five years later, I see fact-checking differently. It isn’t just about correcting yesterday’s lie. It’s about understanding how tomorrow’s lie will spread.

From town criers to AI. Technology evolved. Misinformation evolved with it.

The lie isn’t new. The speed is.”

Thank you, Muhammed, for the brainpower and vision you bring to this fight! 🙌

🎉 Staff Shoutout: Dibba Momodou-Programme Assistant

Our shoutout week continues! Today, we celebrate Momodou Dibba, Programme Assistant at Info Checked. Dibba joined us in 2022 as an intern and has since risen to Programme Assistant, supporting and working across all our programmes.

In his own words:

“My journey with Info Checked, from its early days as Fact Check Center-The Gambia to where it stands today, has been one of growth, purpose, and service. Being part of this organization has strengthened my belief that accurate information is essential to democracy, accountability, and an informed society.

In an era where misinformation spreads rapidly, fact-checking is more than a profession, it is a public responsibility. I am proud to contribute to the fight against false information through research, media literacy, advocacy, and programmes that empower people to think critically and make informed decisions.

Five years of Info Checked is a milestone worth celebrating, and I am honored to have been part of this journey. For me, protecting the integrity of information is not just work, it is a commitment to the public good.”

Thank you, Momodou, for your growth, purpose, and dedicated service across all our programmes! 🙌

🎉 Staff Shoutout: Yankuba Corr Communications Assistant

Our shoutout week continues! Today, we celebrate Yankuba Corr, Communications Assistant at Info Checked, who joined the team in 2023. One of the most hardworking, disciplined, and professional people on our team.

In his own words:

“As a communications assistant, I am proud to contribute to Info Checked’s mission strengthening how we communicate internally as a team and amplifying our voice to the public we serve.

It’s an honor to be part of a team dedicated to keeping our information ecosystem clean and trustworthy. When the public has access to accurate information, we take meaningful steps towards greater transparency and accountability in governance.

I appreciate being part of this journey, and I look forward to the work ahead.”

Thank you, Yankuba, for your dedication, discipline, and professionalism! 🙌

🎉 Staff Shoutout: Fatima Jah- Finance Assistant

Our shoutout week continues! Today, we celebrate Fatima Jah, Finance Assistant at Info Checked, who joined the team in 2025.

In her own words:

“As a Finance Assistant, I enjoy this work because it gives me the opportunity to support the organization through accurate financial records, proper documentation, and responsible management of information. I believe that accuracy and integrity are important in finance because even small errors can affect decision-making and accountability.

My experience with InfoCheck has strengthened my appreciation for information integrity. It has taught me that information should not only be recorded, but also carefully reviewed, verified, and supported by reliable sources before it is used or shared.

Working with InfoCheck has also increased my passion for fact-checking and accuracy. It has reminded me that integrity applies to every aspect of our work, including financial information. I am proud to contribute to an organization where accuracy, transparency, and responsible information sharing are valued.”

Thank you, Fatima, for keeping our foundations strong and accountable! 🙌

🎉 Staff Shoutout: Khadijah Sey Sawaneh Research Officer

Our shoutout week continues! Today, we celebrate Khadijah Sey Sawaneh, Research Officer at Info Checked.

Khadijah joined us as an intern in 2023 and has since grown into a Research Officer and one of the most consistent staff members at Info Checked. She has grown with the organization, and we are proud her growth and commitment to ensuring truth and accuracy in our information ecosystem.

In her own words:

“I believe in clarity. People deserve to be well-informed before making decisions. But with so much toxic information in our society and media, misinformation causes real harm. That’s why I want to be part of the people working to prevent and reduce that harm.

Working at InfoChecked taught me that fact-checking isn’t just about verifying claims. It’s also about helping people make informed decisions. Working with this team has deepened my passion for information integrity.”

Thank you, Khadijah, for your consistency, growth, and commitment to information integrity! 🙌