What if murals could spark a movement? What if the art on our walls didn’t just reflect our world—but reimagined it?
This is the vision that drives 2023 UN SDG Action Awards Changemaker Finalists Emmanuel Mushy and Nazir Atul, founders of Visual Aided Stories (VAS) Hub, a youth-led creative enterprise using arts and storytelling as tools for social change and youth engagement.
For Emmanuel and Nazir, creativity isn’t a side note to development—it’s a catalyst. Through initiatives like Murals for Social Change and the ZINGATIA Street Art Campaign, VAS Hub has engaged over 145 youth artists across Dar es Salaam, transforming blank walls into bold calls for justice, health, and empowerment.
Yet across Tanzania and the African continent, youth in underrepresented communities still face barriers to employment, access, and visibility. Their voices are often left out of public dialogue, and their creative potential underfunded or overlooked. At the same time, critical issues like health education, climate action, and misinformation remain out of reach for many—especially in areas with low literacy levels.
Through public murals, digital storytelling, and grassroots training, VAS Hub is creating jobs, sparking conversations, and shifting narratives. Their art is not just decoration—it’s infrastructure for social change.
Emmanuel and Nazir challenge us to see creativity not as a side note in development, but as a force capable of transforming communities, shifting narratives, and creating real economic opportunities.
On World Creativity and Innovation Day, we spotlight their vision, their work through VAS Hub, and the message they offer to the world: invest in creativity, trust in youth, and act with intention.
A Conversation with Emmanuel Mushy and Nazir Atul
We spoke with Emmanuel and Nazir about the power of public art as a tool for systems change, the lessons behind their street art campaigns, and how murals are empowering a new generation of changemakers across Africa.
Emmanuel and Nazir, your journeys as youth leaders began long before VAS Hub. What inspired your belief in the power of public art, and how has it shaped your approach to youth empowerment and social transformation?
Emmanuel: My journey began in 2010 through the African Leadership Academy, where I committed to changing how the world sees Africa. I found that art, especially murals, had the power to reshape narratives—using metaphor, imagery, and emotion to create space for difficult conversations. Public art provided not just expression but livelihood. It offered youth alternatives to unemployment and gave local artists a platform to build community while addressing urgent issues like climate change and health.
Nazir: Growing up in a Tanzanian community where domestic violence, youth unemployment, and social injustices were rampant opened my eyes early to the urgent need for change. I’ve seen the pain of women silenced by abuse, the fear faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in hiding, and the frustration of talented youth shut out because of outdated mindsets. These lived realities shaped me—and the work I now do through VAS.
Together, you led one the ZINGATIA, a street art campaign in Tanzania. What was the impact of this work, and what made art such a powerful vehicle for public health communication?
Emmanuel: Traditional communication methods weren’t reaching many communities—especially those dealing with economic hardship or low literacy. We needed a new language, and that language was art. In five neighborhoods, we worked with young artists to paint murals that used strong visuals—like a mask paired with the word “Zingatia” (meaning “consider” in Swahili)—to communicate health guidelines in a more human, relatable way. The murals reached over 285,000 people and left lasting impressions. They not only conveyed vital health messages but created visibility and income opportunities for youth. That’s the power of art—it meets people where they are and invites them into the story.
Nazir: ZINGATIA taught us that creativity is public health infrastructure. In communities facing systemic neglect, murals served as trusted messengers. They sparked conversation at bus stops, on walks to the market, in front of homes. When words weren’t enough, images carried meaning—and saved lives.
Creative changemakers often face barriers that go unseen. What challenges have you encountered using art as a tool for social impact?
Nazir: One of the biggest barriers has been legitimacy. In many spaces, art is still seen as decoration, not as a serious tool for advocacy or change. When I started painting murals about gender equality or climate justice, people questioned why I wasn’t organizing a seminar instead. But murals meet people in their everyday lives—in ways no workshop can. Access is another challenge. Many young creatives have the talent, but not the tools, space, or funding. We’ve had to fight for permissions, navigate bureaucracy, and face risks when painting politically sensitive themes. And emotionally, carrying the weight of community pain and turning it into art is not light work.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for a creative and inclusive future—and the role of artists in shaping it?
Nazir: I dream of a Tanzania—and a world—where creativity is recognized as leadership. Where artists are seen as social architects, helping communities imagine and build the futures they deserve. I want every young person to grow up knowing that their voice matters and their creativity can be a tool for justice.
Emmanuel: Young people are no longer the leaders of tomorrow—they are today’s changemakers playing a vital role in shaping the future they want to see. By co-creating impact projects and grassroots movements that enable young people to collaborate, innovate, and drive change, we harness their imaginative abilities to express their ideas. I believe creative and innovative approaches [such as art] can break barriers, mobilize communities, and inspire collective action toward social change.
“Young people are no longer the leaders of tomorrow—they are today’s changemakers playing a vital role in shaping the future they want to see.”
Emmanuel and Nazir’s journey with VAS Hub illustrates that art is not an afterthought in development—it is the engine driving transformative change. Through public murals and mixed media storytelling, he empowers youth, shifts narratives, and creates tangible opportunities for communities to thrive. On World Creativity and Innovation Day, their message rings clear: Invest in creativity. Support youth. And act now—to shape a world where every story has a space to be seen.
Do you know any changemakers using creativity to drive impact? Nominate them—or apply—for the UN SDG Action Awards Creativity category, which recognizes campaigns that have shifted mindsets, inspired action, and influenced change through creative mediums like poetry, music, theatre, street art, film, and more. Apply now: www.sdgactionawards.org
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