Who we are

MultiFact Check (MFC) is an independent fact-checking organization dedicated to investigating claims that spread misinformation and disinformation, and publishing fact-checked reports to inform the public. Our work is geographically focused, with a primary emphasis on nations in the Horn of Africa and their diaspora communities. With a presence in various regions of Africa, Europe, and North America, MFC leverages a team of professionals with diverse expertise to deploy best practices in journalism and scholarship, identifying, investigating, and publishing accurate facts.

What We Believe

๐‘ญ๐’‚๐’„๐’•๐’” ๐’‚๐’“๐’† ๐‘ซ๐’Š๐’”๐’•๐’Š๐’๐’„๐’• ๐’‡๐’“๐’๐’Ž ๐‘ถ๐’‘๐’Š๐’๐’Š๐’๐’๐’”

While perspectives vary, we maintain that facts are grounded in objectivity. They can be tested, proven, and validated through evidence. This differs from subjective interpretations or personal convictions.

๐‘ป๐’‰๐’† ๐‘ช๐’‰๐’‚๐’๐’๐’†๐’๐’ˆ๐’† ๐’๐’‡ ๐‘ด๐’๐’…๐’†๐’“๐’ ๐‘ฐ๐’๐’‡๐’๐’“๐’Ž๐’‚๐’•๐’Š๐’๐’

Todayโ€™s digital landscape spreads content rapidly across decentralized networks. This horizontal distribution blurs the lines between facts, falsehoods, assertions, and beliefs. As a result, the credibility of information sources is eroding.

๐‘ฐ๐’๐’‡๐’๐’–๐’†๐’๐’„๐’† ๐’‚๐’๐’… ๐‘ฐ๐’•๐’” ๐‘ช๐’๐’๐’”๐’†๐’’๐’–๐’†๐’๐’„๐’†๐’”

Powerful figures, whether in politics, business, activism, or the military, promote agendas to serve their goals. Too often, their narratives distort reality, prioritizing self-interest over integrity. Such actions harm public trust and social cohesion.

๐‘ป๐’‰๐’† ๐‘ฎ๐’‚๐’‘ ๐’Š๐’ ๐‘จ๐’„๐’„๐’๐’–๐’๐’•๐’‚๐’ƒ๐’Š๐’๐’Š๐’•๐’š

Fact-checking initiatives have multiplied globally. Yet, few operate without bias or external influence. Even fewer major media entities have dedicated, impartial systems to scrutinize the claims of leaders and prominent voices.

Our Guiding Principles

At MultiFact Check, we adhere to a set of core principles that guide our work.

๐‘ผ๐’๐’ƒ๐’Š๐’‚๐’”๐’†๐’… ๐‘ฐ๐’๐’•๐’†๐’ˆ๐’“๐’Š๐’•๐’š

Weย evaluate all assertions with equal rigor, free from favoritism or agenda. Ourย process prioritizes balance, examining claims based on their significanceย rather than their source. We reject partisan influence and disclose anyย contextual factors that could affect perception.ย ย 

๐‘ฝ๐’†๐’“๐’Š๐’‡๐’Š๐’‚๐’ƒ๐’๐’† ๐‘ฌ๐’—๐’Š๐’…๐’†๐’๐’„๐’†

Everyย conclusion we draw is grounded in credible, traceable data. We cite original materialsย whenever possible, empowering others to validate our work. While we handle sensitive cases with care, transparency remains our default. We also acknowledge competing interests to uphold objectivity.ย ย 

๐‘ถ๐’‘๐’†๐’ ๐‘บ๐’•๐’†๐’˜๐’‚๐’“๐’…๐’”๐’‰๐’Š๐’‘

Our funding sources,ย governance structure, and team backgrounds are publicly documented to prevent undueย influence. Our organizational structure and decision-making processes are clearly outlined,ย ensuring accessibility for scrutiny. We foster open dialogue with the public, recognizing it as a fundamental aspect of our operations.ย ย 

๐‘ด๐’†๐’•๐’‰๐’๐’…๐’๐’๐’๐’ˆ๐’Š๐’„๐’‚๐’ ๐‘น๐’Š๐’ˆ๐’๐’“

A defined framework governs how we choose, investigate, and present findings. Weย engage claimants directly when appropriate and welcome external suggestions,ย while clarifying the boundaries of actionable fact-checking.ย ย 

๐‘จ๐’„๐’„๐’๐’–๐’๐’•๐’‚๐’ƒ๐’๐’† ๐‘ฌ๐’—๐’๐’๐’–๐’•๐’Š๐’๐’

We correct mistakesย promptly and conspicuously, with policies in place to ensure amendmentsย reach original audiences. We actively solict feedback on adherence to these principles,ย reinforcing our commitment to growth and trust.ย ย 

What we do

Atย MultiFact Check, we combat misinformation and promote accountability throughย evidence-based fact-checking, research, and public education. Our primary goal isย to cultivate a community of nonpartisan fact-checkers across the Horn of Africa, empowering citizens with the skills to distinguish fact from fiction. Through claim verification, media literacy initiatives, and transparent data managment via our Data Bank,ย we promote informed decision-making and bolster democratic discourse.ย ย 

๐™๐™–๐™˜๐™ฉ๐˜พ๐™๐™š๐™˜๐™ ๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™œย & ๐™๐™š๐™จ๐™š๐™–๐™ง๐™˜๐™ย 

Weย rigorously verify statements from politicians, activists, and influentialย figures, as well as documents from governmental and non-governmentalย institutions. By cross-referencing original sources, we expose false,ย misleading, or unproven claims circulating in media. Our fact-checking reportsย set the standard for accuracy, providing the public and policymakers withย reliable information to counter narratives contravening the truth.

Beyondย daily verification, we conduct pioneering research to analyze misinformationย trends, measure the impact of fact-checking, and develop innovative solutionsย tailored to the Horn of Africaโ€™s unique challenges. This research not onlyย informs our strategies but also serves as a vital resource for journalists,ย academics, and civil society organizations working to safeguard informationย integrity.ย ย 

๐™ˆ๐™š๐™™๐™ž๐™–ย ๐™‡๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™š๐™ง๐™–๐™˜๐™ฎย & ๐™‹๐™ช๐™—๐™ก๐™ž๐™˜ย ๐˜ผ๐™ฌ๐™–๐™ง๐™š๐™ฃ๐™š๐™จ๐™จย 

Toย counter misinformation at its roots, we host media literacy webinars, equippingย young people with critical thinking skills to navigate digital contentย responsibly. These sessions cover digital citizenship, source evaluation, andย ethical media practices, empowering the next generation to consume and shareย information wisely.ย ย 

Ourย public awareness campaigns amplify these efforts through partnerships withย educators, media outlets, and grassroots organizations. By deploying clearย messaging across multiple platforms, we educate young people and communities onย identifying disinformation tactics, verifying sources, and resistingย manipulation. These campaigns are regularly evaluated and adapted to addressย emerging threats, ensuring maximum reach and effectiveness in an ever-evolvingย information landscape.ย ย 

๐˜ฟ๐™–๐™ฉ๐™– ๐˜ฝ๐™–๐™ฃ๐™  ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐˜ผ๐™˜๐™˜๐™ค๐™ช๐™ฃ๐™ฉ๐™–๐™—๐™ž๐™ก๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™ฎ

Ourย continuously updated Data Bank serves as a centralized hub for a comprehensiveย archive tracking the careers of influential figures in politics, economics, andย civil society. By documenting their backgrounds and actions, we provide theย public the factual information of public figures, both in the government andย outside, whose decisions and actions have profound socialย consequences.ย ย 

Thisย resource is more than a repository; itโ€™s a tool for systemic change. Journalistsย use it to investigate claims, researchers rely on it for data-driven insights,ย and citizens access it to verify information independently. We believe thatย this Data Bank is an investment in long-term institutional memory, ensuringย that misinformation can be swiftly countered with credible, accessibleย evidence.ย ย 

A Brief History of MultiFact Check

๐—›๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐—ช๐—ฒ ๐—•๐—ฒ๐—ด๐—ฎ๐—ป

MultiFact Check was founded in 2021 as an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to combating misinformation in the Horn of Africa. With support from individual donors, we began our work by scrutinizing misleading statements from Ethiopian authorities and debunking false narratives about the country’s civil conflicts. In the same year, we established our operational base in Maryland, from which we have addressed a range of critical issues, including clarifying COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and countering war-related propaganda on social media.ย ย 

๐—ข๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ช๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ธ ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต

With a dedicated team of eight professionals, so far, we have fact-checked over 50 high-impact claims and published 54 comprehensive reports in four languages: English, Amharic, Afaan-Oromo, and Tigrinya. Our pioneering Databank now documents the professional histories of 100 influential figures across politics, economics, and civil society. We’ve trained journalists in advanced verification techniques and reached over one million users through our digital platforms. These efforts reflect our commitment to replacing misinformation with evidence-based knowledge, fostering informed public discourse, and strengthening democratic resilience.  

๐—ข๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ง๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—บย ย 

While headquartered in the United States, our strength lies in our regional presence. Our Addis Ababa team includes four journalists and a data analyst who provide on-the-ground insights, while our managing editor ensures editorial excellence and coordination across all fact-checking operations. This multinational structure allows us to maintain both global standards and local relevance.ย ย 

๐—ข๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—œ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜

Every verified claim and trained journalist creates measurable change. By exposing falsehoods, we empower citizens to make informed decisions. Through media literacy initiatives, we’re building societal resistance to misinformation. Our Data Bank preserves crucial historical records, enabling future accountability. These interconnected efforts are transforming how information is consumed and shared across the region, making truth accessible, power transparent, and democracy stronger.ย ย 

๐—ข๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ฆ๐˜‚๐—ฝ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€ย 

Private donors provided the foundation for our initial work, enabling our launch and early operations. This website’s redesign and refresh was funded by the European Union, through the #defyhatenow initiative implemented by r0g_agency from December 31, 2023 to December 18, 2024. Their belief in our mission has been instrumental in expanding our reach and impact.ย ย 

๐—๐—ผ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ข๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐— ๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป

The battle against misinformation requires sustained effort and resources. Your support enables us to enhance our fact-checking capabilities, expand media literacy programs, and maintain our vital Data Bank. Together, we can build a Horn of Africa where truth prevails, institutions are accountable, and citizens are empowered.

๐‘ด๐’–๐’๐’•๐’Š๐‘ญ๐’‚๐’„๐’• ๐‘ช๐’‰๐’†๐’„๐’Œ: ๐‘บ๐’‰๐’†๐’…๐’…๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ ๐’๐’Š๐’ˆ๐’‰๐’• ๐’๐’ ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’•๐’“๐’–๐’•๐’‰ ๐’Š๐’ ๐’‚๐’ ๐’‚๐’ˆ๐’† ๐’๐’‡ ๐’Ž๐’Š๐’”๐’Š๐’๐’‡๐’๐’“๐’Ž๐’‚๐’•๐’Š๐’๐’.