Uganda’s DJ Etania on Saturday, August 2, has urged Rwandan youth and women creatives to put challenges aside, defy odds and keep going toward what they envision to achieve.

Etanian was speaking at "Beyond the Stage; A creative cafe” an initiative championed by SEEV AFRICA in partnership with MTN Rwanda, Intore Entertainment and KONTENT.

The invite only event was hosted at Amahoro Stadium VIP Lounge, bringing together career and business professionals in the creative space, representatives of corporate and development entities, and content creators from all over East Africa who were in Kigali for the Giants of Africa Festival.

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Attendees were treated to a networking mocktail before getting into an interactive fire side chat with Etania, moderated by Mary Maina, Managing Partner of KONTENT.

"Beyond the Stage” was developed in alignment with Rwanda’s national strategic priorities, to advance gender equality in the creative industry.

It is designed as a peer learning platform that goes beyond performance, focusing on skills, networks, and agency for Rwandan youth and women in music and entertainment, in all their diversity. Thus, her status proves what is possible when young women are empowered to lead through creativity.

DJ Etania, real names Etania Mutoni, noted that her journey to the spotlight was filled with challenges that made it seem like she was destined to fail, especially because the people around her didn’t share the same perspectives.

She said that during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, decided to venture on TV. She had neither a good voice nor confidence. However, over time, she built her confidence, eventually transitioning into deejaying, a male-dominated field, and later moved into radio, where she continues to thrive.

"I did everything with confidence and that’s what kept me moving forward,” she noted.

Dj Etania who has been in Rwanda for the recent Basketball Africa League (BAL) has also been to places regionally and continentally. Her presence in Rwanda during the Giants of Africa Festival, provided a timely opportunity to hold dialogue, skills exchange, and solidarity among local female creatives.

"For ladies, you don&039;t have to walk in your man's shoes waiting for everything. You can also do it yourself and still be adorable. You don't have to think that a man will come and save your life. Djiing isn't for only men. The solution is not always from a man,” the 26-year-old DJ said.

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Rwanda has been showing progress with its forward-thinking gender policies and a thriving creative ecosystem. However, there's still room for growth, especially when it comes to the representation and valuation of female artistes in the music industry.

Challenges like limited access to capital, mentorship, industry exposure, and gender-biased perceptions are still present and they also represent opportunities for change.

"Peer learning platforms like Beyond the Stage, are key to improving collaboration between creatives and corporate or development organizations to enhance the community impact of events in Rwanda,” noted SEEV AFRICA’s Executive Director, Paul Atwine.

"One key desirable outcome is for creatives in Rwanda to connect and learn from touring international artists, good business practices and life lessons they can adopt,” he said.

"Not only will this attract more private sector investment in the creative space, it will promote gender-responsive narratives that shift public perception and increase demand for inclusive cultural programming, giving creatives a greater stake in advancing and contributing to Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST2),” he added.

"Partnering with SEEV Africa, MTN Rwanda and Intore Entertainment on Beyond the Stage is a strategic for us at KONTENT. As a company committed to designing sustainable social programs, we believe platforms like this go far beyond celebrating talent - it is a vehicle for knowledge transfer, mentorship, and long-term impact,” said Mary Maina, Managing Partners of KONTENT.

The company designs social impact programmes and delivers public communication solutions that drive business organizations and people to craft compelling narratives and build initiatives with sustainable impact- amplifying home-grown solutions and shaping purpose-driven leadership across Rwanda’s development and business landscape.

"With Rwanda’s growing investment in sports, tourism, and MICE, we must capitalize on the presence of global talent to inspire, equip, and empower young people. What happens on stage is only the tip of the iceberg; the real transformation lies in what’s shared offstage; the skills, stories, and strategies that can shape a generation of purpose-driven leaders,” she added.

Maina explained that more Beyond the Stage programmes are in the pipeline.

"We call on the private sector and development partners to join us in investing in young people and building a sustainable future for Rwanda,” she said.

The first edition of Beyond the Stage: A creative café, was hosted at Norrsken Kigali in December 2024, and featured Nigerian hitmakers, Ruger and Victony. Building on the success of the first and second edition, the third edition slated for December 2025 promises to be bigger and more impactful with a multi award winning international touring artist set to headline a major show in Kigali.

Beyond The Stage also received support from the Ministry of Sports, Rwanda Convention Bureau, MPost Rwanda and Big Sounds AV Solutions Limited.