"Cristi Hegranes is one of the people who will usher in a return to serious journalism," Dan Cook, media reporter, TrueSlant.com

Mission: Global Press Institute (GPI) uses journalism as a development tool to educate, employ and empower women, who produce high-quality local news coverage that elevates global awareness and ignites social change.

Global Press Institute  is building a network of professional women journalists throughout the developing world who earn a fair wage for reporting on their local communities. Their unique coverage of issues overlooked by mainstream media contributes directly to the development and empowerment of their communities, brings greater transparency to their countries, and changes the way the world views their people and cultures.

Since 2006, GPI has trained 117 women across 24 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, who now publish ethical, investigative, professional news features via GPI’s online Newswire and on 35 major syndication partners worldwide.  In all, more than 5 million people have access to GPI's unique and important news coverage each month.

GPI is a unique organization because our journalists have unprecedented access to local sources and topics not traversable by foreign correspondents. GPI reporters cover social justice and development issues including HIV/AIDS, climate change, gender justice, economic development and the arts. GPI news raises awareness by increasing access to information in local communities and for global audiences, while simultaneously acting as a catalyst for social change. GPI is committed to organizational and sustainability too -- all GPI reporters are paid fair, middle-income wages and are offered continuous opportunities for training, development and professional advancement. At GPI, journalism is a development tool that creates opportunities to economically empower women, breakdown gender barriers and increase access to information locally and globally by bringing traditionally marginalized voices into the realm of public dialogue.

Who We Are
Global Press Institute is run by Executive Director Cristi Hegranes, an award-winning journalist and nonprofit leader, and an eight-member board of directors. Our in-country News Desks are staffed by local women who have completed Global Press Institute's Certified Reporter Training program, ensuring that they are responsible, solutions-based storytellers with strong source access and unique story angles.

What We Do

Global Press Institute operates News Desks in 25 countires. Our unique training-to-employment model offers rigorous, traditional journalism training with long-term employment opportunties for women in developing countries.

Since its founding in 2006, Global Press Institute has trained or employed more than 120 women to be responsible, ethical journalists. We target bold, intelligent women from developing regions of the world with a special emphasis on marginalized women, such as the untouchable caste in Nepal, indigenous women in Mexico and HIV-positive women in Kenya.

Journalism training provides these women, who often have difficulty finding gainful employment, the opportunity to take on semi-public professions, establish themselves as literate leaders, challenge discrimination and earn living wages. Learn more 

Community Development Programs

Through News Desks, complementary companion programs, social entrepreneurship and global partnerships, Global Press Institute strives to improve not only the lives of the women who learn about journalism with us, but also the lives of all members of the community. Learn more

When We Are Doing It

Now! Global Press Institute is actively training reporters and producing news from all over the world. Training and partnership opportunities are available throughout the year.

Where We Work

Global Press Institute prides itself on providing news coverage from some of the world’s darkest corners. Yet, Global Press Institute always selects its locations based on the best available data regarding safety and media law. Global Press Institute operates  News Desks – full-service training sites and news rooms – in 25 countries across the globe.

Why We Do It

Global Press Institute was born out of a love of journalism. It has evolved into an international social enterprise that empowers people, builds strong communities and elevates global awareness through our unique news coverage from around the world. Our work is dedicated to human progress and responsible journalism.

Paired with our commitment to economic empowerment, our journalists receive professional development and empowerment coaching, enabling them to ask difficult questions and seek hard truths. Global Press Institute reporters are bound by a strict code of ethics and strive to produce human-centered, solutions-based journalism for their local communities and the world.