MUSTLE Africa aims to help children improve their literacy and communication skills in a fun way. Street youths and orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) are central to the programme. The key strategy is to use participatory workshops.

MUSTLE Africa seeks to:

• enable basic communication amongst all and to rehabilitate disadvantaged children and young people with their own family or base community regardless of the religious and ethnic origin or belief of the individual;
• change public perception of street youths and advocate for their potential through the performance art medium;
• coordinate a varied programme of events and workshops on multicultural storytelling’; and
• operate both in the formal and non-formal education sector and in collaboration with performance artists and stake-holders across the globe.

MUSTLE Africa services and activities include the following:

• counselling mentoring services to street youths and orphans and vVulnerable cildren (OVC)s;
• a range of remedial recreational activities; including drama, music, dance, games and sports towards psycho-social support;
• training in communication for life-skills, capacity building and self-help;
• hosting an occasional conference or professional development / networking event for literacy and social work practitioner stakeholders from both within the region and internationally.

According to the organisers, the use of story is powerful. Ivor Kasongo, Mustle Africa co-ordinator, said traditional storytelling as a form of non-formal education had stood the test of time. "It is simply being overshadowed in the advent of modern technology. The two forms of media, if you will, need NOT be mutually exclusive. Let’s be specific in our strategy to develop literacy skills with youth. The use of a traditional story really is accessible as a resource."

MUSTLE works in partnership with local organisations. In April 2006, MUSTLE forged a partnership programme with Streets Ahead, a project working with street children in Harare, Zimbabwe. Over nine days, a dramatisation of a Ghanaian Anansi story was directed and presented as part of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA). According to the organisers, this was very popular amongst all sectors of the HIFA community; local and international. This first phase of the partnership was funded by the UK based charity Street Child Africa. In December 2006, sponsored by the British Embassy, Harare and again in collaboration with Streets Ahead, MUSTLE Africa planned and organised a five day Christmas outreach programme to Lake Kariba with 20 street youth.

In August 2008, the Zimbabwe based MUSTLE Africa Trust launched a publication called Street Home. It is intended for individuals and organisations working in the community development, education, and youth arts fields, and specifically those working with vulnerable children and young people living on the streets. This quarterly, free newsletter aims to be a platform for organisations across the globe to share experiences and strategies and to network. The newsletter will also be a media through which street youngsters can share their experiences and stories.  Click here to access the newsletter online.

Youth.

Ivor has a background in international youth work and global issues. He began his career in 1999 working with a volunteer exchange organisation called the Daneford Trust and later worked with street children at the Simukai Street Youth Programme in Zimbabwe. Ivor runs a fashion shop in Bulawayo to support new ventures for MUSTLE Africa.

MUSTLE Africa was given a Trust status in July 2007 in Harare, Zimbabwe.