Mzuri Dance Artistree Fund Inc is a Registered Charity
Follow our journey
Partnership
Horn of Africa in Yarra
Building community through Cultural and Social Activities
In 2021, Aisha Darawish, the CEO of Horn of Africa in Yarra, discovered Mzuri Dance and its mission through a WellBeing program at Abbotsford Primary School, part of the MSEA Project. Aisha and Suzie Watts, founder of Mzuri Dance, connected over their shared values of community support and mutual appreciation for the positive impact that after-school activities and community programs can have. They recognised the importance of fostering social and cultural connections for youth and older individuals living in public housing, who often face isolation and barriers to social participation. This shared vision led to a partnership between Horn of Africa in Yarra and Mzuri Dance.
Culture Club at Carlton Community
Over 2022 and 2023 Aisha and Suzie continued to work towards opportunities for the Carlton Community, Aisha's community in Carlton Public Housing Estate.
Aisha worked hard to enage her community and recruit other women to support her mission including Batula who helps with catering, engagement and project monitoring.
"There have been alot of attempts for us to try and find funding to have afterschool activities for the children for so many years. My children and other families children have been on a waiting list for the local homework club at the library for 4 years but we are still waiting."
Mzuri Dance found Aisha and her community some funding for her to deliver the Culture Club Youth Engagement Project, 'Well Being Beyond the Bell' which was successfully delivered in Carlton across all of 2023.
In the video below we see some of the programs and activities delivered, the holiday program and weekly drop in classes were the highlight of families and young people as it enhanced social connection and well being amongst the community.
SHE Thrives in Carlton
At the same time in 2023, Aisha Darawish registered for the Mzuri Dance SHE Thrives program funded by Bank of Melbourne, which supported her to re- register the not for profit community led organisation 'Horn of Africa in Yarra' and received business training, mentoring, getting hands on support with an accountant, graphic designer and marketing specialists for logo design, business mission statements ,and setting her up on LinkedIn. Aisha also attended the SHE Thrives wellbeing sessions to share her business journey with other African women who were also participating in the program. Aisha shares her story in the video below, emphasising her passion and committment to supporting her community.
Somali Storytime Program
Now in 2024, The Horn of Africa have partnered once again with Mzuri Dance to provide Somali Bi Lingual Storytime to the Carlton Community and the wider local community. This has been funded through the Victorian Government, Department of Health. Mzuri Dance also built a strong partnership with Banh Neighbourhood House over the past 5 years and was able to foster a strong and exciting new partnership with the City of Yarra Family and Early Years Playgroups from their work over the years with Banh House playgroups (delivering Mzuri Cultural dance and drum and storytelling workshops in the Migrant Stengthening Community Engagement and Arts Program) and Horn of Africa in Yarra has delivered and facilitated 10 x Bi Cultural Storytimes across the Yarra Estates over this year, and will continue to do this each year over 2024-2027. The support for this program extends across both carers and their young ones, 0-5 years.
