Nadia Susswein

Founder of PesaCheck, combating misinformation in Africa through fact-checking

Nadia Susswein is the Ugandan-born journalist and founder of PesaCheck, a groundbreaking fact-checking organization that has become a cornerstone of media literacy across East Africa. Born in 1985 in Kampala, Susswein's early career at Newsdeeply and Reuters exposed her to the dangers of misinformation, particularly during election cycles and public health crises. In 2015, she launched PesaCheck with a mission to verify claims made by politicians, businesses, and social media influencers.

PesaCheck operates in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, using a team of journalists, data analysts, and legal experts to investigate viral stories. Their investigations have debunked false claims about election rigging, exposed fraudulent charity schemes, and corrected misinformation about disease outbreaks. During Kenya's 2017 elections, PesaCheck's real-time fact-checking reduced the spread of hate speech by 40%, according to a study by the University of Nairobi.

Susswein's approach combines rigorous reporting with community engagement. PesaCheck collaborates with local radio stations and schools to teach digital literacy, empowering citizens to critically evaluate information. The organization's website features interactive tools like 'Truth Meter' which crowdsources user-reported claims. This participatory model has made PesaCheck a trusted resource in regions with low internet penetration.

Despite facing legal threats and funding challenges, Susswein has expanded PesaCheck's reach through partnerships with Google's Fact-Checking Initiative and the EU's Democracy Fund. In 2021, the organization launched a mobile app that sends alerts about verified information during emergencies. A 2022 survey by Afrobarometer found that 68% of East Africans trust PesaCheck more than traditional media outlets.

Susswein's work has earned international acclaim. She was awarded the Global Investigative Journalism Network's Excellence in Investigative Reporting prize in 2019 and featured in Time Magazine's '100 Most Influential People' in 2022. Her TEDx Talk, 'The Truth Economy,' has been viewed over 800,000 times, emphasizing the economic and social costs of misinformation.

In an era of deepfakes and algorithmic bias, Susswein's advocacy for transparency has redefined media accountability in Africa. By centering local voices and leveraging technology, she has proven that fact-checking can be both culturally relevant and globally impactful. PesaCheck's model is now being replicated in Nigeria and South Africa, underscoring Susswein's vision of a continent where information is a public good.