MESHA opens doors to corporate partners

Nairobi, August 10, 2007 – Kenya’s Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA) has today called on all organizations involved in science and development issues globally to join the association as corporate partners.

MESHA, which is an independent non-profit association of journalists and communicators specialized in environmental, agricultural, health, technology and development communication has appealed to the groups to work closely with it for the good of science and development journalism.

With the overarching goal of strengthening science communication in the region, MESHA’s mission is to create an informed and empowered population conscious of ongoing and emerging science and development issues in Kenya, the East African region and beyond. MESHA aims to promote the development of science communication through interactive and holistic approaches that involve researchers, local communities and other stakeholders.

Apart from individual full membership, associate membership and honorary membership categories, the MESHA constitution allows for corporate partners.

In this regard, has invited like minded organisations to consider becoming a corporate partner of MESHA. Such membership, stated the invite, will afford such organisations priority access to credible science journalists and editors. Their expertise will help package the organization’s activities into accurate and well presented news articles and features for publication in the national and international press. The association also boasts of members that are qualified media trainers who are able to, by arrangement, train your scientific and communications staff on media relations.

MESHA will also undertake help with media invitation and attendance to events organized by partners through a simple agreement. Another benefit to corporate partners is direct access to the curriculum vitae of MESHA’s targeted membership when you wish to recruit science communicators.

To see our individual member profiles and for general information on MESHA, please visit www.meshanet.org and click on Members’ Profiles.

The Corporate partnership fee is currently set at Ksh.30,000 (US$ 500). To become a Life Corporate partner, a contribution of US$ 1,500 is required.

For more information, please visit www.meshanet.org or contact the coordinator, Mr Aghan Daniel directly on Tel 0725 917160 or Administrative Assistant, Agnes Njoroge on 0722 417596or 600758, 600040. MESHA’s email address is meshakenya@yahoo.com.

Meanwhile MESHA today issued a press statement joining forces with the anti-Media Bill crusaders. In the statement, the chairman of the association, Mr Daniel Otunge said that the association wishes to join in calling on President Mwai Kibaki to return the Media Bill to parliament for further deliberation with a view to removing the clause obligating editors to reveal their sources.

“We would like the President to know that protection of sources is the cornerstone of free, vibrant and relevant media. MESHA believes in freedom of the press and therefore would like to call on the President to take necessary measures to protect and expand the democratic gains Kenyans have earned for themselves” he added.

He called on Kenyans to reject by show of total outrage attempts by some members of the executive and parliament to turn the media into toothless bull-dogs as this is tantamount to subversion of democracy.