The Women's Center for Knowledge and Empowerment is a social entrepreneurship project launched by The Press Institute in Nairobi, Kenya. It aims to increase access to information, education, and opportunities for women in Kenya by establishing a news desk to train female reporters, a cyber cafe, business center, community space, childcare center, and internship programs. The goals are to empower thousands of women through skills development, networking and collaborative opportunities to improve their lives and communities over a two year timeline through raised funding and revenue-generating services.

1. A Place Where Women
Learn • Connect • Collaborate • Thrive
2009 Eric Lafforgue Copyright. All Rights Reserved
The Women’s Center for Knowledge and Empowerment
a social entrepreneurship project of The Press Institute
Nairobi, Kenya

2. Imagine a place where ethical
journalism and social entrepreneurship
meet to produce news that is bold,
authentic and accurate.
As a young foreign correspondent in
Nepal, Cristi Hegranes imagined such
a place. From this vision The Press
Institute emerged.

3. Now solutions-based reporting is being used as a tool
for global transformation by empowering individuals,
building stronger communities and raising global
awareness.

4. 2009 Eric Lafforgue Copyright. All Rights Reserved
The Press Institute is launching its next news desk together
with its first social enterprise in Kenya -- The Women’s Center
for Knowledge and Empowerment.

5. The Women’s Center for
Knowledge and Empowerment Mission
To increase women’s access to
information and education while
providing sustainable, local
funding for journalism training
and news desk operations in
Kenya.
Vision
Thousands of women improve
their lives and pass on their
knowledge, skills and wisdom
to thousands more.
[insert team photo]

6. Why Kenya
Kenya, with its relatively stable
government and cosmopolitan
capital, offers PI a strategic
location for gathering and
disseminating original news
content from east Africa.
However, Kenya remains fraught
with gender inequality and vast
socio-economic disparity,
preventing women from realizing
their full potential.

7. Why Women
Women comprise over 51% of the total population and half of
the labour force in Kenya, yet:
8% Women in parliamentarian and leadership positions1
18% Women represented in political decision-making1
<1% Women reporting on politics and government2
8% Women as subjects in political news2
16% Women enrolled in computer science programs1
57% Women-owned business income compared to men-owned1
References
1 African Development Bank and African Development Fund, October 2005. Kenya Gender Profile. Nairobi.
2 Gallagher, M., 2005. Global Media Monitoring Project 2005. London.

8. Joanne’s Story
Joanne Wanjala was born in Namilama, a remote, male-
dominated village in the Bungoma district in western Kenya.
When she was 12-years old, Joanne found herself seeking
refuge with an aunt after her father tried to force an
arranged marriage. Despite the odds stacked against her,
Joanne completed secondary school and graduated from
the University of Nairobi with a degree in Communications.
Thanks to a University scholarship, Joanne is now working
on a masters degree in literature. She is married with a
young son.
Despite all her achievements, Joanne continues to face
challenges. The cost of Internet access in Nairobi is
prohibitively high but she needs the Internet to do research
for school work. Even after graduation, Joanne will be
challenged to find gainful employment in a country that has
a 40 percent unemployment rate.
Although she has overcome so many of the barriers that women face in Kenya, Joanne
wonders how she will be able to contribute to the care of her family if she cannot find a job.
Joanne’s story is just one of millions of stories about women who need education, access to
information and opportunities for personal and economic empowerment.

9. The Women’s Center for
Knowledge and Empowerment
News Desk
Reporters are trained with
strong reporting skills to
produce original news stories
from Kenya and East Africa.
Cyber Cafe Community Space
Semi-private, fully equipped computer Business Center Classes, workshops and seminars in
stations allow women to:
Printing, copying, scanning, and faxing adult literacy, computer skills, business
•connect remotely provide a one-stop experience for skills, leadership and wellness develop
•participate in e-learning programs students and business women. skills for personal and professional
•listen to online tutorials, podcasts and advancement and empowerment.
videos
Day Care Vocational Training
Paid internships give fledgling Mentoring Program
Short-term daycare plus gaming
professionals hands-on, marketable Mentors to help women reach their
stations make it possible for mothers to
experience in technology and business. personal and professional goals
access our services.

10. Goals
•Produce powerful stories about the reality of life in Africa - not as a
dying continent, but a complex place teaming with life.
•Increase access to information, education and vocational training in
journalism, technology and business.
•Provide safe space for women to network, collaborate, mentor, coach
and support each other.
•Generate funding for journalism program in Kenya.

11. Timeline
Milestone 2: Milestone 4:
Cyber cafe and Community space
business center opened
opened
Internship program
launched
Milestone 3:
Milestone 1: Milestone 5:
Childcare center
First reporters trained Customer and
opened
and fully reporting from financial targets
Mentoring
Kenya achieved
program launched
1 2 3 4 5
Months 1-3 Months 4-9 Months 10-15 Months 16-21 Months 22-24

12. Our Project Team
STAFF PARTNERS
Cristi Hegranes, Founder and Executive Director
Jennifer Ruwart, Global Business Development Director
Meagan Demitz, Associate Trainer, Africa
Irene Mwivano, PI Reporter, Kenya
ADVISORS
Melissa Beran Samuelson, Clinical Professor, Thunderbird
School of Global Management Haki Self-Help Group
Natasha Deganello Giraudie, CEO, Micro-Documentaries
Gemma Dreher, Senior Counsel, BAE Systems
Harrison Goodall, Chief Operating Officer, One Global Economy
Jeanne Marie Grumet, President, Communications Catalyst
Amy Lombardo, Founder, True Nature Wellness
Gabrielle Rapport, Director, Corporate Responsibility, Ontier

13. Funding
Funding Strategy (Year 1) Amount
Existing funds $59,800
Individual support $26,000
Corporate Support $20,000
Foundation support $104,000
Total $209,800

14. Start-up Costs
Expenses (start-up + operations) Amount
News Desk $45,800
Cyber Cafe $59,400
Business Center $30,300
Community Space $53,500
Internship and Mentoring Program $11,350
Day Care $9,450
Total $209,800
Revenue Total $209,800

15. Outcomes
Your investment supports:
6 month 1 year 2 year
•10 women complete •10 women complete •10 women complete
certified reporter training certified reporter training certified reporter training
•5 women complete •5 women complete •10 women complete
technology and business technology and business technology and business
internship program internship program internship program
•300 women receive •700 women receive
education and training education and training
•20,000 hours of Internet •24,000 hours of Internet
usage provided to usage provided to
women women

16. The Press Institute is advancing social equity and economic
justice for women in Kenya. Join Us!
To make a donation or for more information, please contact Jennifer Ruwart at
jennifer@globalpressinstitute.org or (415) 300-7648