Twaweza Communications
About Twaweza
| Leadership Programs
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Twaweza Communications is an arts, culture and media organization based in Nairobi. Established in 2000, the organization is anchoring itself as a leader in the sector by bringing together academicians and practitioners in knowledge and skills
We have undertaken a number of projects under this program that include:Role of the Media in Transformative Leadership
At the meeting held at Twaweza House, Westlands, on 19 December 2003 and attended by East African Education Publishers (EAEP), FOWODE, Youth Agenda, Ford Foundation, Carolina for Kibera, and the Twaweza team, we resolved that a larger meeting be held on 25 –28 February, 2004
Events
Currently we are organising Public intellectual conferences in Nairobi and the Lake Victoria Basin regions on 20th and 30th July 2011 respectively.
To: Film producers, civil society and public institutions
Re: Kenya Film on Public Transport
Twaweza Communications (www.twawezacommunications.org) is a media, arts, and culture organization established in 2000. We are committed to increasing dialogue through media and arts on national and local issues.
Currently, we are carrying out a pilot project to widen the space for Kenyan creative talent in film and music with social justice messages. Specifically, we are looking for opportunities within the transport industry to showcase Kenyan films, documentaries and music videos that can contribute to social justice.
Currently, most matatus play loud music and many show foreign films on violence and sex. The industry needs an alternative form of entertainment drawn from local talent. We believe the entertainment-education route is the way to go. Quite aside from raising the local appreciation of the medium of Kenyan film, we want to creatively engage the hours lost to interminable traffic jams on our choking road network system by providing important social justice messages.
We are requesting film producers, civil society and public institutions to:
Collaborate with Twaweza Communications in promoting Kenyan film for entertainment and social justice;
Prepare (or give us the go-ahead to prepare at our cost) 2-3 minute trailers from films that are classified as General Exhibition. The trailers will be shown initially in Nairobi routes but hopefully later in other towns
Give Twaweza Communications a copy of the film/documentary for viewing by the Kenya Classification Board;
Give Twaweza Communications a letter indicating that the production company/civil society organization has no objection to the trailers being shown in matatus/buses.
These trailers are not for sale and will only be used to promote Kenyan film and social justice messages. With support from the Ford Foundation, we will equip identified matatus with screens and decks. We will also monitor how the trailers are received.
If this idea appeals to you, we would like to receive the trailers (if available) and copies of film/ documentary as soon as is convenient for you to allow us roll out the Pilot. Let me know when and how we can collect the films or documentaries.
By supporting the Twaweza Film Initiative, producers and civil society groups will contribute in preparing alternative sites and development of Kenyan film. This venture is also key to the Bill of Rights in our constitution.
Your partnership on this project will be of great value to us. If you have any questions, call us on 020-375 2009; 0729 427740
Email:
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Feel free to share this information with your colleagues.
Regards
Kimani
Reports
- New communications technologies and freedom of expression- written by Kimani Njogu and Alex Gakuru http://www.freedomofexpression.org.uk/file/kenya_FoE.pdf
Proposed Constitution Drafts
Proposed Constitution Drafts.
In Kikuyu
In English
a citizens handbook-1_english.pdf
In Kipsigis
TWAWEZA 2008 MEDIA MONITORING REPORT
Click link below to download
TWAWEZA 2008 MEDIA MONITORING REPORT.pdf
Held Events
1. MEDIA ROUND TABLE MEETINGS
On 13th April 2011 we held another media round table meeting under the theme Media and Divisive Politics in Kenya at the Goethe Institut from 6:00pm-8:30pm.
Context
Without doubt, political temperatures are rising as the elite jostle for power and political heat is likely to rise all the way to the 2012 elections. Oblivious of what the electorate really want, our politicians have started beating the drums and the stage is being set in earnest for a drama that will keep us in sweat and tears. Citizens look up to the media for unbiased information and interpretation of the political events in the country.
Are citizen’s expectations of the media unrealistic and misguided? How should the media manage the process of reporting political wrangles without driving the country into an early election mood; without sidelining other important stories in the country?
This open discussion forum brought together media scholars, journalists and political scientists to explore the role in media.
On 25th Feb 2011 held a media breakfast round table on Media and Political Alliances in Kenya at the Serena Hotel.The following topics were discussed:
How is media engaging the politics of imagination and construction of identity?
Are media leaders or followers in the construction of politico-ethnic alliances?
What are the ethical issues that journalists face in conducting their work?
What are the challenges of covering the politico-ethnic alliances in the Kenyan newsroom?
2. Media Trainings on Specialized Reporting for Rural Journalists:Towards Conflict Sensitive coverage.
The main objective was to arm journalists with vital skills, knowledge and attitudes to run their shows and write their stories prior, during and after the referendum to help Kenyans make informed choices in voting for or against the Proposed Constitution. In addition, it was expected that the journalists, through their programmes and stories, would help ease tensions that both sides of the referendum divide were building up in run-up to the voting day.
- The first series of trainings were conducted in Machakos and Naivasha in July 2010 in time for the Referendum on the Draft Constitution in August 4th 2010.
- The second series were conducted in Nakuru just before the naming by the ICC on the perpetrators of the 2007 Post election violence.
3. PUBLIC INTELLECTUALS AND PUBLIC SPACE LECTURES
Twaweza Communications will hold six Public Intellectuals and Public Space conversation in the Mt.Kenya region,Coast,Nakuru, Eldoret,Nairobi and Kisumu This is part of ongoing work under the Media and Social Transformation Project to increase citizen participation in political, economic and social change, especially within the context of the new constitution.
Goal: To hold convenings of intellectuals in academia and public arena in order to track the political, economic and social directions, explore informed alternatives and document reflections.
- On 27th November 2010 at the Izaak Walton Inn, Embu we held a meeting in the Mt Kenya Region we sought to engage in dialogue on Youth Participation: Challenges and Opportunities. National Coordinating Agency for Population and Development (NCAPD) conducted the mobilization of the community to participate and Twaweza Communications identified scholars who wrote papers and presented on these topics. We invited intellectuals from Mt. Kenya region to have discussions focused on enhancing agricultural production in Mt. Kenya, knowledge economy education and opportunities, culture and religion, identity and value system and the implications of devolution in Mt. Kenya Region.
REMEMBERING KENYA PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES (2)
Between April and December 2009 the following panel discussions were held at the Goethe Institut auditorium, Nairobi.Rethinking Governance
Citizenship: Society and Social Justice
The Economics of a Healthy Kingdom
Environment and Culture
