A Place Where Ethical Journalism and Social Entrepreneurship Meet

The Press Institute is launching our next journalism-training site concurrently with our first-ever income-generating project in Nairobi, Kenya in 2010. Our first project is a Women’s Knowledge Center that offers affordable access to the Internet, classes and services for the community, and job-training and mentoring in IT and micro-enterprise for women.

The Women’s Knowledge Center is part of a 10-year Global Business Initiative Strategy to create more financial self-reliance at the local level for The Press Institute programs, and reduce program reliance on US-based granting trends as well as insulate our programs from economic downturns.

A Space for Kenyan Women to Learn, Collaborate and Improve Their Lives

Our Women’s Knowledge Center, unlike a typical cyber-cafe or business center in Nairobi, will be a feminine, affordable, and innovative full-service multimedia center. It will provide economic and empowerment opportunities to under-served women in Kenya.

Providing Opportunities

Women in Kenya do not have the same opportunities as men to enter the fields of IT and legitimate micro-enterprise. Each year, through our training and internship programs, the media center will hire and mentor women just starting their careers as IT professionals and micro-entrepreneurs.

Providing Safe Space

Most cyber-cafes in Kenya are owned, operated and frequented by men, which is intimidating and isolating for women. Women want to work in a safe, clean space at a cost they can afford. The Media Center will bring women of diverse interests and backgrounds together through a shared desire to learn, connect and collaborate in a nurturing space.  Although men will be encouraged to visit to the center and use its resources, the feel of the center will be distinctively feminine and core program offerings will be focused on women who want to improve their lives and the lives of their families and communities.

Providing Unique Services to Women

The media center will provide services that cater to women’s unique needs, so that women can seize the opportunities offered, including:

• Short-term daycare and a child play area that includes 2-3 gaming stations for youth.
• Events that include fathers, brothers, and husbands to help establish buy-in and support for the women participating in our programs.
• Professional mentors to support, guide, and empower our staff, journalists, and interns throughout their employment with The Press Institute.

The long-term of impact of this program is that it offers Kenyan women direct economic empowerment, in tandem with the sustainability it provides to the Press Institute’s Kenyan program. All participants in our journalism-training and internship programs will receive a monthly stipend. Upon successful completion, journalists will be paid per article for an indefinite period of time, and interns will be supported in finding employment in the sector of their choosing.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why are you starting a social enterprise?
US-based individuals and foundations generously fund the Press Institute. A key initiative in 2010 is to develop in-country social ventures to generate sustainable income for local programs and operations, thereby alleviating 100% reliance on US-based granting trends and economic downturns.

Why Kenya?
Kenya is a budding African nation. It is also a nation of complex dualities.

It is surrounded by warring nations, but its government is relatively stable. Nairobi is one of Africa's most developed cities, but there are thousands of African villages that are remote, poor, isolated, and silent in the national and international media.

Despite the nation's progress, the people of Kenya still face the scourge of AIDS and TB in record numbers. Despite the fact that technology is emerging in the capital, many Kenyan women remain illiterate and have fewer educational opportunities than men. Access to strong journalism or other information sources are even more limited. Kenya sits in the balance of progress and poverty.

We aim to shift that balance.

How does this initiative fit into your mission?
The Press Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded on the belief that journalism is a dynamic tool that fosters personal empowerment, community development, and global awareness.

By actively working with local partners where we operate Global Training Sites and Independent News Desks, The Press Institute builds trust, gains more credible sources and news tips, and enables thousands of women and youth to participate in empowering programs. Participants benefit through increased access to information and greater participation in community dialogue about key development issues.

Why women?
Put simply, women do not have the same opportunities as do men to enter the fields of journalism, IT, and legitimate micro-enterprise. The Media Center will focus on providing access to information, economic, and empowerment opportunities to under-served women in Kenya. Each year, through our training and internship programs, TPI will hire, train, and mentor women to start careers as journalists, IT professionals, and micro-entrepreneurs.

Why a knowledge center?
There are few full-service cyber cafes or business centers that cater to women and our unique needs. We see this an opportunity to fill a need in an under-served and niche market.

Where can I learn more?
You can stay up-to-date on the latest news about this project by following Jennifer's blog, An Entrepreneur on a Mission".

You can also email Jennifer directly.

How can I support this project?
Cash donations are needed. We are also looking for strategic partners in Nairobi for content sharing, IT vocational training, microenterprise outreach and training, women's wellness, life skills training and the environment.

Our current partners include One Global Economy, Project Africa, Yoga Africa Project, The 1010 Project and Association of Media Women in Kenya.

Are there other ways to support the media center?

Yes! There are several ways you can support the media center:

1. Become a Muckraker!
2. Donate Equipment
3. Sponsor a Journalist

For more information about The Women’s Knowledge Center or The Press Institute’s Global Business Initiative, please contact Jennifer Ruwart