by Taweh Johnson, Campaigners Against Misinfo and Disinfo in Liberia, Liberia. Campaigners Against Misinformation and Disinformation in Liberia (CAMDL), a local nonprofit working to improve community…
by Taweh Johnson, Campaigners Against Misinfo and Disinfo in Liberia, Liberia.
Campaigners Against Misinformation and Disinformation in Liberia (CAMDL), a local nonprofit working to improve community resilience against false information, hosted a Media and Digital Literacy Training for Liberian marketeers, including people with disabilities. The marketeers learned how to evaluate the reliability of websites and links and how to trace the source of an image online.
They were trained to verify online information using digital tools such as ScamDoc and Google Reverse Image Search, empowering them to help safeguard Liberia’s information landscape against false and misleading content.
According to the 2024 World Economic Forum Global Risks Report, misinformation and disinformation rank as the top global risks over the next two years. False information endangers Liberia’s peace, rule of law, democracy, development, and governance. The training brought together over twenty (20) marketeers from Fiamah and 12th Street Markets at the Future Intellectual Discourse center, next to Fiamah Market in Monrovia, on Friday, June 20, 2025.
Speaking after the training, CAMDL Executive Director Taweh Johnson stated that the initiative has helped marketeers avoid falling victim to online fraud and scams in Liberia.
Many participants shared distressing testimonies about financial losses they suffered due to Smart AI, an online scam in 2023 that promised outrageous returns on investment.
“I lost LD$10,000 to Smart AI in 2023. The platform looked so real, and I was convinced because others in the market had joined too,” said Rebecca Wolo, a fish vendor. “Now I know how to check images and verify sites. This training saved me from more damage.”
“We sell every day, but we don’t know how the internet works. The scammers trick us with nice words and fake pictures. But after today, I feel smarter and safer,” added Abu Kamara, a phone accessories seller from 12th Street Market.
CAMDL also emphasises inclusion, ensuring that persons with disabilities and members of underserved communities are not left behind in the digital literacy movement.
The organisation is calling on international agencies, development partners, and civil society organisations to support the expansion of this training to other markets and communities across Liberia.
Marketeers are the heartbeat of the Liberian economy. When they are informed and protected, the whole nation benefits.
Campaigners Against Misinformation and Disinformation in Liberia (CAMDL) is strengthening community resilience to false information in Liberia. CAMDL was established in September 2022. In April 2024, the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia recognised CAMDL as one of the champions maintaining the integrity of the information landscape in Liberia. CAMDL is also a member of the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Alliance. The organisation focuses on Media and Information Literacy, Digital Literacy, Disability Inclusion, Multimedia Training, Information Research, and IT / Media Consultancy. The organisation has impacted High School and University students, Teachers, TVET Professionals, People with disabilities, Liberian Language Translators, Civil servants, Journalists, Civil Society Organization Members, and Marketeers.