Ruge School of Excellence: Building Future Change Makers (ENG)

A little bit of History

As the founder and Head of Programming of a media house, the late Ruge knew too well of the changing media landscape and the need to disrupt the traditional media business model.  He understood that traditional media business models that depended heavily on advertisements had no room in the future mediascape. He also believed that a new breed of innovative and impact-focused media specialists was needed to lead this change. 

It was from these premises that Ruge started the Ruge’s School of Excellence, a mentorship program to support young Tanzanians – who were passionate about solving community issues and interested in leveraging technology and/or media- to align their well-intentioned yet vaguely defined ambitions with the realities of the business and social world.  Through the School of Excellence, Ruge exposed a small number of passionate and talented young Tanzanians to various aspects of development communication and program management. Participants of the program learned about project design, business models, finance, business law, media, branding, communication, and more. They also got the opportunity to develop and bring to life projects such as the Fursa Initiative and Malkia wa Nguvu and worked on nation-wide campaigns like Nyumba ni Choo.

Graduates of the program currently run their own advertising agencies, manage betting companies and are executives in top media houses.

The Ruge School of Excellence 2.0

In continuing his legacy, the Ruge Mutahaba Foundation is re-launching the School of Excellence. The program seeks to equip young Tanzanian changemakers who are passionate about driving social impact in their communities and leveraging on media, digital platforms and technology in the process. Through a combination of training, mentorship and immersion into real-world project opportunities, participants of the program will gain leadership skills and practical ‘in-the-field’ business and social experiences and knowledge to drive social change.

For the year 2024, young Tanzanian changemakers who are accepted into the Ruge’s School of Excellence will work on a community project that will support the rehabilitation of street children and contribute to creating an enabling environment for them to have a fighting chance to pursue their dreams despite their backgrounds and socio-economic challenges.

This program offers you the opportunity to:

1. Develop leadership skills and confidence in building social movements, managing campaigns, designing and managing impactful projects to drive social impact.
2. Collaborate in community projects and make a positive impact in your community.
3. Receive mentorship from industry experts and experienced social entrepreneurs.

Eligibility criteria of applicants

• Be between the age of 18-30 at the time of application.
• Demonstrate their commitment to driving social impact.
• Demonstrate their interest and/or experience with media and technology.
• Must dedicate time to participate in the full duration of the program.

Time Frame and Format

The Ruge School of Excellence will run for 4 months and will include:

• In-person training sessions – 4 weeks
• Hybrid mentorship sessions – once a month
• The completion of a community project – over the 4-month period

While this is not a full-time program, it will require a participant’s full commitment. Click below and apply before 20th December 2023.

APPLY HERE