Ugandan teen content creator Tenge Tenge has opened up about his remarkable journey from a boy who could not afford to attend school to becoming one of Africa's most recognised internet personalities. The internet sensation, born Saad Ssozi, said his journey into content creation began when his manager, Michael Kabongi, came up with the idea of using social media to raise money for his education and support other vulnerable children. My journey in content creation started because I couldn't go to school. My manager, Mike, came up with the idea of creating content so that I could raise money to study, Tenge said. Tenge, 13, was invited to headline the Tinton Tenge Summer Festival in Kigali on August 1, where he entertained hundreds of children at Sanitas recreational space in what was his first trip to Rwanda. He said fame was never part of the original plan. Our goal wasn't to become popular. Our goal was to raise money so that children like me, who couldn't go to school, could also have the opportunity to study. Later, our videos went viral, and now we earn money through content creation, he said. ALSO READ: Tenge Tenge: Who’s the teen TikToker headlining Kigali kids fest? As his popularity grew, Tenge realised content creation could become more than just a fundraising initiative. In the last few years we started making good money. That's when I realised content creation could become a business, he said. His journey into entertainment began after joining a children's community programme in Uganda, where he learned dancing, acrobatics and other performance skills. I wanted to be like the other children there. They taught me flipping, dancing and many other things. That's where I started before joining TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, he said. Today, Tenge is among Uganda's most-followed child content creators, with several millions of views across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. His videos have attracted the attention of international celebrities, including American singer Chris Brown and YouTube star IShowSpeed. I feel really good. I thank my manager, Mike, because starting content creation was his idea. I also thank everyone who supports me by following and liking my content, he said. Despite his online success, the Primary Six pupil says education remains his top priority. I manage my studies and my content well. I mostly create content on weekends and during school holidays, he said. According to Tenge, balancing school and fame has become easier than many people imagine. The first week they're excited, then after that everything becomes normal again, he said of his classmates' reactions. Although fellow pupils sometimes ask him to perform at school, he said he usually declines. I refuse most of the time, he said. Kabongi said protecting Tenge's education has always been a priority, with content creation scheduled only on weekends and during school holidays. We create content only on Saturdays, Sundays and during school holidays so that school is not affected, he said. He described Tenge as a disciplined and humble learner despite his growing fame. At school the children love him because he's also a child. He plays with them and doesn't ignore them, Kabongi said. He admitted convincing Tenge's parents to embrace content creation was initially challenging. It wasn't easy, but by God's grace we continued. Now we are on good terms with the parents and everything is going well, he said. Kabongi stressed that talent should never come at the expense of education. You can have talent, but you also need education. Talent can fade, but education does not. Even if one day he decides to leave content creation, he will still have the education to pursue another career, he said. He added that Tenge's discipline, respect and willingness to learn have been central to his success. He's very disciplined at school and a good listener. When I tell him to go to school, he goes. We cooperate like brothers. I always tell children to respect their parents and elders because respect opens doors. People love Tenge because he respects others, he said. Kabongi also encouraged aspiring content creators not to give up when success takes time. It was a long journey. We posted many videos that didn't go viral, and sometimes we almost lost hope. But if you keep working towards your dream and trust God, success will come, he said. First visit to Rwanda Tenge and his manager arrived in Kigali for the Tenge Summer Festival, marking the young star's first visit to Rwanda. I'm very excited to be here in Rwanda. Rwanda is clean, modern and everything is cool here, Tenge said. He described the country as peaceful and welcoming, praising its cleanliness, security and hospitality. The people are good, the city is clean, it's quiet and security is there. Everything is good, he said, adding that he enjoyed local dishes including pork, chicken, goat meat and beef. Kabongi, who spent two days in Rwanda with Tenge, said the visit left a lasting impression. Rwanda is really beautiful. It's clean, the people are welcoming and always smiling. I've loved Rwanda and I expect to come back again, he said.
