Press Releases

Internews Kenya Opens HIV/AIDS Media Resource Center

Internews Kenya Information and Tourism Minister Raphael Tuju and USAID Mission Director Dr Kiertisak Toh listen to Resident Advisor Mia Malan addressing guests at Internews' MRC launch on May 5th.

(May 17, 2004) Internews has opened a Media Resource Center in Nairobi, stocked with more than 2000 HIV/AIDS publications, to provide Kenyan journalists with desperately needed resources to produce stories about HIV/AIDS.

The Media Resource Center has five computers with high-speed internet access available for research, and radio digital editing programs for producing stories on HIV/AIDS. An electronic database system makes the publications easily searchable and accessible. All services are available to journalists free of charge.

“I get all my information on HIV/AIDS from this media resource center,” says Dayo Yusuf from the Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation. “The good thing is that it is always accessible, so I really depend on it. With the help of the MRC coordinator, I can get guests to interview for my program. She even helps me to prepare questions for these interviews!”

Hundreds of Kenyans die of AIDS every day, and many were infected because they didn’t have information on HIV prevention. The media can provide the public with information about prevention and treatment as well as help decrease the stigma and discrimination associated with people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Media Resource Center was officially opened on May 5 by the Hon. Raphael Tuju, the Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Tourism, and the USAID Mission Director Dr. Kiertisak Toh. About 40 journalists, editors, and NGO and government officials attended the event.

The center is funded by the United States Agency for International Development.