Rue Manjano is a specialist development communications studio and knowledge resource that helps development organisations and practitioners turn complex work into clear, relevant communication and meaningful engagement.
Development communications is rarely a straight road. Practitioners work across technical programmes, competing priorities, tight deadlines and increasingly complex information environments. We are expected to understand the programme, find the story, reach the right audience, create the content, manage the channels and demonstrate that our communication made a difference.
Rue Manjano exists to make that road easier to navigate.
We are a resource and communications studio for development communications practitioners — bringing together practical tools, knowledge, ideas and specialist services to help communicators do better work.
At the heart of Rue Manjano is The Manjano Path™, our approach to development storytelling and communications.
We believe effective communication is a journey: Understand → Find the story → Shape the message → Connect with audiences → Create action → Learn and adapt.
We apply the Manjano Path to help you move deliberately through this journey, rather than treating communication as an afterthought or simply producing content for content's sake. Like a road clearly marked towards a destination, we work with you to (re)discover, (re)organise and amplify the voice you already have, because we understand that not every project needs a large survey, a paid listening platform, or every stage working at the same depth.
What you can expect:
- A clear link between the audience work and a real programme or communications decision
- An audience map that includes relevant influencers and delivery partners
- Practical insight into needs, motivations, barriers, trust and information touchpoints
- Recommendations that connect messages, content, channels and calls to action
- Measures that go beyond impressions when the objective requires it
- Clear notes on evidence sources, limitations, privacy and responsible use
- A collaborative process that makes space for local knowledge and audience feedback
What you'll find at Rue Manjano
- Resources: Practical templates, guides, frameworks, tools and ideas designed for the realities of development communications.
- Knowledge: Insights, case studies and lessons from the practice of communicating development — from programme storytelling and donor visibility to digital communications, campaigns and emerging technologies.
- Services: Specialist communications support for organisations and teams that need additional expertise, strategic guidance or hands-on capacity.
- Community: A space for development communications practitioners to exchange ideas, learn from one another and strengthen the practice.
The name Rue Manjano: Rue evokes a road while Manjano (yellow in Swahili) gives the journey its distinctive mark, borrowing loosely from the analogy of the Yellow Brick Road in the Wizard of Oz fable, and the idea that experiences and lessons learned along life's journey shape who we are and guide us toward enlightenment. We want to help development communicators find the road, tell the story, and create impact, one thoughtful communication choice at a time.