DREAM. BELIEVE. BECOME.

Mzuri Dance ArtisTree Fund Inc is a Melbourne not-for-profit organisation and registered charity delivering free dance, education and empowerment programs to young African people, families and seniors facing social and economic barriers.

Projects' Snapshots

My Education Award Finalist Speech

Young Leader Akuech Lueth speaks at the My Education Awards, as a shortlisted finalist and through her achievements at the Mzuri Dance 2024 Homework Club Program supported by 'Rise Together' Project funded by Department of Justice and The South Sudanese Expert Working Group in partnership with Nurturing African Generations.

This transcript below is from Young Leader Akuech Lueth Speech delivered at the My Education awards.
“Hi, my name is Akuech and I am a student Young Leader in the Mzuri Dance program. I have been at Mzuri Dance ArtisTree for about eight years now and I’ve been in the Young Leader program for about two. Mzuri has given me the opportunity to understand young people on a deeper level and engage with members in the community to provide programs that focused on relationship and connections through cultural dance, music and food.
This experience has sparked a passion in me to work in the Youth field to listen to young people’s stories understand their struggles and support them while they navigate through life.
I am currently a year 12 student at the Academy and have a passion for working with youth. There is a high demand out there for Youth workers in the world. I know how it feels to have such a great support system and people to go to when I’m stuck in life, but I’m very aware there are many young people that don’t. So I am inspired to be that person and help young people throughout their journey in life. After I finish high school, I will go out to university and study youth work and community development. Mzuri Dance has helped shape who I am today and has help me find my path so therefore I will help other individuals find theirs.

Mzuri has given me the opportunity to understand young people on a deeper level and engage in the community to provide a program that focuses on forming relationships and connections support while they navigate through life. I am currently student at the Academy and have a passion for working with youth. There is a high demand out there for youth work in the world. I know how it feels to have such a great system and people to go to when I’m stuck in life, but there are many young people that don’t, so I am inspired to be that person and help young people throughout their journey in life. After I finish high school I will go to university and study Youth and Community Development. Mzuri Dance, has helped shape who I am today and has helped me find my path, so therefore I will help other individuals. I’m thankful to be nominated and shortlisted for the MYEducation awards. I look forward to what the future has to offer. Thank you.”

Fostering Integration through Culture Sharing and Dance

Mzuri dance facilitates Cultural dance workshops cultivating community and social harmony, building connections, trust and mutual respect and understanding for people of different heritage and cultural backgrounds, whilst bringing diverse age groups together on a multi-age platfom for intergenerational culture sharing, connection and learning.

Homework Club

For over a decade, Mzuri Dance ArtisTree has earned a reputation for delivering successful Homework Clubs, Learning Support, and After School Activities for young African Australian individuals residing in the Fitzroy High Rise Public Housing Estates. These programs have been crafted in partnership with esteemed organisations such as the African Communities Foundation Australia and the Centre of Multicultural Youth.

The core of our new initiative, "Literacy through Storytelling," aligns with the Homework Club Grant Initiative’s goals by boosting Victorian African student learning, promoting school engagement, and facilitating parental involvement. Here's an overview of our program objectives:

1. Safe, Inclusive, African-Led, and Culturally Appropriate Environment:
- Afterschool Programming: Our child-centered and community-focused approach enhances literacy, numeracy, communication skills, and overall well-being, cultivating confidence and creativity. This creates a culturally safe space for self-expression and social connections, warmly welcoming students and parents.
- Culturally Rooted Well-being Activities: By incorporating storytelling, traditional dance, and cultural workshops, we enhance students' sense of belonging and celebrate their cultural identities.

2. Building Positive Relationships:
- Community Engagement Events: We foster mutual understanding and respect through cultural events that showcase traditional food, music, and dance, strengthening the bonds between students, parents, teachers, and the wider community.
- Parental Involvement: Workshops guide parents and carers to effectively engage in their children's educational journey, particularly in reading, fortifying family-school relationships.

3. Assistance with Literacy and Communication:
- Supportive Learning Programs: With volunteers and tutors, we focus on literacy, numeracy, and communication skills, equipping students with critical academic support and enhancing listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking abilities.
- Cultural Literacy Development: By integrating storytelling and cultural sharing into the Homework Club curriculum, we celebrate diversity and reinforce literacy.
- Student-led Activities: Encouraging leadership and engagement, we empower students to take charge of their learning journey through student-driven projects.

Our initiative is dedicated to enriching student learning and engagement both in school and beyond, actively involving parents in the educational process. We foster a collaborative environment that benefits students, families, and schools alike, ensuring student well-being and academic success.

Diversity and Inclusion Award

Mzuri Dance ArtisTree received Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion Award 2022-2023 by the City of Yarra

Women's and Carer's Wellbeing

Mzuri Dance provides intensive Women and Carers health and wellbeing programs to support Migrant and Refugee women living in the High Rise and Public Housing. These programs were delivered as an essential part of the SHEThrives Project in 2023-2024 funded by Bank Australia and as one of the 3 - part Women's Health and Enterprise Incentive WHEI Project in partnership with Two Square Pegs, Nurturing African Generations and Banh House, funded by North Richmond Grants Precinct in 2021-2022.

Youth Cultural Performance Commissions

Young People perform at Multicultural Gala Dinner for Diversity Week 2023 at Melbourne Convention Centre

Safe weekly drop in sessions every Monday in Fitzroy

Seniors Intergenerational Connections

Through community consultation we are addressing issues identified for the Seniors and Elderly in our community who are facing isolation and lonliness. We plan to address these issues through intergenrational programs that aim to connect young people with seniors to share skills such as digital literacy and gardening so both co-horts benefit with new skills and learning outcomes to improve both learning as well as enhance meaningful social connection.

Voices of young people between dance performances of the 'We are Colourful' production supported youth agency and self determination

Federation Square encore Performance at the African Music and Cultural festival 2023, following young people's stage performance

Mentoring from expert musicians and dancers throughout the programming

Block Party performance - partnering with City of Yarra< Fitzroy Learning Network. Local schools and Band Wagon the Block Party was an event for young people to share their skills in performance and engage the wider community

Young People practicing their choreography

Collingwood Program Facilitator getting in on the action at the young peoples performance.

Early learning years Bilingual Storytime

Funded by the Department of Health and Maternal Health 2023-2027 we are delivering Dinka, Tigrinya, Lingala and Somali Storytime across Melbourne with local community partnerships.

Camping and Holiday Programs

Our CampstART Program provided a great 5 day 'screen free' music and dance camp experience for families in September School Holiday, particularly for the North Richmond Community as part of the North Richmond Community Precinct Grants 2024.

School Programs

Mzuri delivers young people's programs in school aligned with Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0, outcomes and the high impact wellbeing strategies to enhance curriculum delivery for Primary and Secondary Schools students.

Community Cook Up

Cook up is a Saturday afternoon Program designed and delivered with the South Sudanese Women and families gather at the Fitzroy Food Centre Kitchen as part of the 2024 Cook Up program. Through the RISETogether initiative, Mzuri Dance collaborated with the Department of Justice and the City of Yarra to host 40 weeks of Cook Up sessions. This program, supported by partners, local stakeholders, and volunteers, plays a vital role in fostering social and cultural connections, uniting the community, and addressing the ongoing issue of food insecurity exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are deeply grateful to our funders and partners for their invaluable contributions to this essential initiative.

Horn of Africa in Yarra collaborated with Mzuri Dance ArtisTree from 2022 to 2023 to offer free empowerment and wellbeing projects at the Carlton Public Housing Estate and nearby areas. These initiatives aimed to reduce isolation and loneliness among families and seniors in the housing estate, while also providing healthy lifestyle holiday programs for young people and weekly social connection sessions for seniors and families. We look forward to further investment in this community through the City of Melbourne Social Investment Partnerships Grant from 2025 to 2027. Pictured here are Aisha Darawish and Young Leader Noura, both integral to the Horn of African in Yarra organisation and who also participated in the SHEThrives Project. The SHEThrives initiative supported African refugee women in small business by providing mentoring and training, thereby increasing opportunities for community engagement and self-employment in 2023-2024.

Our mission

Belonging and contributing

To foster personal growth, and strengthen community connections through community-led learning. By encouraging active contribution, we build confidence, identity, and a sense of belonging to enhance individual well-being.

Building Cultural Bridges

To cultivate social cohesion by building bridges through cultural appreciation. We empower African Aussie's to share their heritage through dance, storytelling, and food, fostering mutual respect and understanding.

Education to Empowerment

To empower African heritage refugees and CALD individuals by offering education, training and pathways to employment/ self-employment. Through age appropriate educational programs we empower individuals to live their dreams.

Building Future Leaders

We look forward to continued investment in our young people, providing them with homework clubs, education, training and work experience opportunities to develop leadership roles and build successful pathways

0 - 5 years Multicultural Storytime

Our 4 year strategic plan to stay connected to culture and healthy living through language literacy and learning is in partnership with Department of Health and delivers Dinka, Eritean, Lingala and Somali Storytime for young refugee families.

Cultural Storytelling in Education

We deliver Cultural Performing Arts and Child-centred School Programs for young people to increase school engagement, build new skills, self confidence and belonging in their world cultivating self belief, identity and agency.

Student Engagement Learning Support

We look forward to continuing our robust African led Homework Clubs in partnership with local community and schools in Atherton Gardens and Collingwood supporting the wellbeing and academic needs of students living in the public housing estates

Women and Seniors Wellbeing

In 2025 We look forward to continued funding to provide opportunities for women and seniors for social connection, reducing isolation and fostering civic and economic participation and integration.

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Economic Empowerment

We successfully invested in creating a culturally safe space for women of shared heritage, to develop business skills and work experience opportunities. This project built confidence and practical abilities, offering pathways to employment, self employment.