Debunk Media Initiative is a non-profit organisation, in Kampala Uganda registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee registration number 80020003378899. As a verified signatory of  International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) and its Code of Principles, Debunk Media Initiative would like to be transparent about our funding. 

Kickstarter as a fact-checking initiative by a team of five Media Challenge Initiative Fellows during the Covid-19 pandemic, Debunk pivoted into the first-ever fact-checking organisation in Uganda on 22nd November 2021. We launched Debunk in 2021 with just one funder, the Digital Human Rights Lab  after winning the Digital Human Rights Lab’s  Innovation Program. This program funded the development of the Debunk Fact Checking BOT prototype. 

Our commitment since then has been to build a strong financial structure and increase our financial supporters. In 2022, we won the Innovators’ in Residence program that provided 100% revenue and enabled us to set up organisational structures. With these structures, we have been able to roll out the fact-checking Bot, conduct fact-checking training in different universities as well as translate fact-checks in at least 3 local languages. 

In 2023, we successfully obtained funding from Africa Check as part of the google news initiative. We ensure that funders have no influence over the conclusions we reach in our fact checks. Our work is independent of any financial support that we receive and the funders do not interfere. 

Our work is supported by the MCI Media Hub, a collaborative space that supports disruptive media innovators with an enabling environment to accelerate ideas and solutions for journalism. 

Our funders since 2020

The breakdown of our income by year since 2020