October 2021 kicked off with a bang at the Tranquil Media Group HQ. We are pleased, happy and excited to share that we have been selected to take part in the Jamlab Accelerator Program for Sub-Saharan Africa 2021/2022.
Our career-focused publication, Career Fodder is among the 6 teams selected from across Africa, with Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria being among the countries represented.
We were chosen from 114 teams that applied, after successfully going through several rigorous rounds of vetting. The Jamlab Accelerator Programme (JAP) is a six-month hothouse programme for early-stage journalism and media start-ups. It provides teams with the tools, facilities, contacts, and support necessary to realise their ideas and ambitions.
The programme focuses on journalism and media innovations with the potential to transform information, conversation, and public space. Career Fodder has been in existence for the past 12 months and launched as a pilot project back in January 2021.
We aim to solve the problem of polarized hard news that focuses on politics, gambling, sports gossip, and other topics that are considered as easy to sell. Our content offers young people practical tips and knowledge they can use to escape unemployment, excel in their careers, and be successful entrepreneurs, all while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Unemployment, the pandemic, dynamic job markets, and digital transformation have changed how we live, and with the problems came mental health issues amongst young people. We believe that in order for young people to successfully land their dream jobs, launch their enterprises or even get promoted, they need relevant content that helps them thrive while taking care of their health.
Thus, Career Fodder is the destination for youths looking to get solutions to their needs, and they can count on the platform for original, well-researched content. We have access to the world’s top Key Opinion Leaders, influencers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs, who share exclusive, practical knowledge that young people can put into action and get ahead in life.
Apart from that, our team of highly experienced media, legal and marketing professionals is ready to take the platform to another level, with the support of Jamlab Accelerator.
The programme is a project of the world-renowned University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and is supported by Open Society Foundation’s Program on Independent Journalism and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency through the Consortium to Promote Human Rights, Civic Freedoms and Media Development in Sub-Saharan Africa project.
Since its launch, the Career Fodder team interviewed some of the continent’s most influential public figures. They include Huddah Cosmetics CEO Huddah Monroe, First African Youth Envoy Aya Chebbi, Nigerian singer Joeboy, American author Samantha Hart, UK-based author, influencer, and media personality Toni Tone, and TikTok star Azziad Nasenya.
Career Fodder Founder & Chief Content Officer Harun Momanyi said that admission into the accelerator is a huge step for the brand, which has seen tremendous organic growth in the past year.
“We are proud to see that our effort into creating a media startup with a great purpose is paying off. We’ve made considerable milestones in order to reach this point. These include creating a highly relevant product, testing the market needs, exploring monetization options and possible future content partnerships. We aim to scale even greater heights while participating in the Jamlab Accelerator Programme, and we can’t wait to see where this ambitious journey takes us,” he said.
At Team Tranquil, we can’t help but celebrate this milestone with lots of cocktails, mocktails, great wine, and encouraging each other to push on. Stay locked on our blog to see how we progress through the program!
