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HEMNet -
the Health and Environment Media Network - is
a caucus of professional journalists and communication
practitioners who focus their skills and experience in highlighting
issues that primarily affect the livelihood of people
through their environment and health.
The organisation exists as a
network of individual media practitioners, offering them a
forum for professional discourse and a platform to engage
in not-for-profit initiatives in liaison with various
individuals and institutions who share in HEMNet's
ideals and respect journalism ethics.
HEMNet was founded in 1999 by three newspaper journalists
- then
based in Kenya's western city of Kisumu - who drew their
drive from three main scenarios;
- A heavy environmental
affront on the ecosystem of the
World's second largest fresh water body - the Lake
Victoria.
- Millions of people helpless in the face of
widespread disease attack, including ravages of the fast
spreading HIV/Aids.
- Local media houses'
inability to meaningfully respond to the situation due to
their commercial orientation that limits their
abilities to profit-seeking realities.
The organisation defined key
objectives to guide it in focusing on the gaps created by
the above-described scenarios, but it quickly emerged that
it was untenable to satisfactorily address the subjects of
environment and health while totally ignoring other
broader development concerns that influence and affect how
people relate to the environment and how healthy a life
they can lead.
It has followed that HEMNet
embrace the broader principles of development
journalism to set on the road to achieving its goals while
maintaining self-reinvigoration by remaining responsive to
the highly dynamic realms of both journalism and
development.
HEMNet is guided in
its activities by a management committee that charts out
its policies and takes decisions on its membership and
partnerships. In its ranks are founder members,
subscribing members and associate members. The first two
categories must be paid up and have votes in the
organisations meetings, the third group comprise those who
share in HEMNet's goals and objectives,
participate in its activities but choose not to be paid-up
members, hence they hold no votes.
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