The Banat Initiative for Leadership and Digital Development (BiLDD) is a 6-week intensive training program aimed at enhancing digital literacy and life skills for participants, particularly young women. The program combines instructor-led sessions, hands-on projects, and assignments to develop essential skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. Participants engage in mentorship sessions with professionals from fields such as technology, entrepreneurship, education, and social impact, gaining guidance and insights to support their professional growth.

The program culminates in a career fair and graduation event, offering participants opportunities to network with industry leaders, explore career paths, and gain knowledge through panel discussions and workshops on navigating the digital economy. Key objectives include improving digital literacy, fostering life skills such as leadership and entrepreneurship, promoting responsible technology use, encouraging interest in STEM careers, and enhancing knowledge of reproductive health. Additionally, the initiative focuses on building self-esteem, promoting social integration, and preparing participants for the job market through resume development, interview skills, and networking opportunities. BiLDD is a holistic program designed to empower young women to succeed in the digital age and beyond.

This project aims to empower key groups in South Sudan—youth, journalists, content creators, and government officials—to critically engage with information and combat misinformation and hate speech. By fostering media literacy and promoting gender-sensitive perspectives, the initiative equips youth, with at least 20% women participants, to analyze information truthfully and understand the roles of various media in society. It also enhances the skills of journalists and content creators, including at least 15% women, to produce accurate, gender-sensitive content on elections, peace, and human rights while debunking harmful misinformation and hate speech.

Additionally, the project strengthens the capacity of government officials, with at least 20% women involved, to collaborate effectively and transparently with media and civil society organizations (CSOs). By promoting partnerships among media, CSOs, and government, the initiative aims to address critical issues such as elections, peace, security, and human rights collectively.

Ultimately, this project contributes to peacebuilding by reducing violence and conflict fueled by misinformation and hate speech, fostering a more informed, cohesive, and peaceful society.

This project is designed to support free, fair, credible, peaceful, and inclusive elections in South Sudan, contributing to the establishment of legitimate representative institutions. By aligning with South Sudan's Revised National Development Strategy, the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), and the August 2022 Roadmap, the initiative underscores the importance of elections as a cornerstone of sustainable peace and democracy. Given its critical influence in shaping public opinion, the media is central to this initiative. The project works to develop the capacities of journalists, editors, and community radio stations to deliver professional, impartial, conflict-sensitive, and gender-sensitive election reporting. Specific attention is given to empowering women journalists and engaging youth in constructive media activities.

The Towards Responsible Information Sharing in South Sudan initiative, implemented by DefyHate Now with support from CIPESA, aimed to combat hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation while promoting responsible information sharing. Running from June to November 2024, the project combined media monitoring, public awareness campaigns, and targeted events to address the challenges of harmful online and offline narratives in South Sudan. Key activities included monitoring tech platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and X to identify and report hate speech and disinformation, culminating in a detailed report for stakeholders.

The initiative also hosted a two-day symposium under the theme “Investing in the Power of Youth for Countering and Addressing Hate Speech,” bringing together 68 participants to discuss the impact of hate speech and explore strategies grounded in UN frameworks. Additionally, a disinformation awareness campaign featured four cartoon publications in the No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper (reaching 5,233 readers), 100 posters in high-traffic locations in Juba, social media outreach to 38,738 audiences, and four radio talk shows to amplify campaign messages. Through these activities, the initiative fostered a more informed and resilient society equipped to counter misinformation and hate speech effectively.

The three-month Combating Disinformation and Promoting Ethical Reporting Fellowship is designed to empower 40 content creators with the tools and knowledge to address disinformation, promote gender-sensitive reporting, and prepare for ethical journalism during elections. The program combines online and in-person training, equipping participants with practical skills to produce accurate and impactful content that challenges harmful narratives.

Through weekly Zoom workshops, fellows will learn fact-checking and verification techniques, supported by practical exercises and case studies that explore the impact of disinformation on communities and conflict. The fellowship also emphasizes gender-sensitive reporting, training participants to address gender-based violence and discrimination ethically and to produce content that promotes gender equality and challenges traditional stereotypes.

The program prepares journalists for operating in challenging election environments by offering training on election fact-checking, safety, and ethical considerations. Fellows will also learn to set up mechanisms for monitoring and reporting election-related violence and misconduct, ensuring citizens have access to credible and reliable information during election cycles.

Participants from various locations, including Abyei, Baliet, Wau, Jur River, Kapoeta North, Budi, Leer, Mayendit, and Juba counties, will attend one-day in-person meetings and engage through Google Classroom and WhatsApp for continuous learning and collaboration. This fellowship aims to build a network of informed content creators capable of combating disinformation, promoting gender equality, and fostering transparency and accountability during elections.

The #FactsMatter211 Fellowship Program is a transformative initiative aimed at tackling hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation in South Sudan, both online and offline. The program trains selected fellows, including bloggers and content creators, to monitor and map viral trends, evaluate the reach and impact of stories, and identify harmful content that could incite violence. Fellows develop skills to create safer digital spaces by addressing toxic ideologies, fake news, and hate speech.

Through the fellowship, participants publish weekly fact-checking and hate speech monitoring reports shared with local media houses to raise public awareness. These efforts help media consumers critically evaluate information, reducing susceptibility to misleading content and its potential for inciting violence.

In addition to empowering individuals, the program partners with media houses to enhance their capacity for fact-checking and producing accurate, trustworthy content. By fostering responsible information sharing and strengthening the integrity of South Sudan’s press, #FactsMatter211 aims to promote peace and stability, ensuring a healthier digital and media environment for all.