Mona

Who received this grant?

Mona left school in Year 11. 

Her mental health made staying impossible, and she walked away without the plan that everyone assumes young people leave with. What she did have was henna. It had been part of her life through high school, an art form with a long and sacred history that she understood from the inside.

She started Henna HQ to do the art properly and to show what it carries with it. Today it is a professional henna artistry business offering private bookings, festival work and educational workshops, employing around ten paid artists from her own community.

What was this grant used for?

Mona won a grant through the Young Artists Centre to turn Henna HQ from something she ran on the side into a business that could take on real work.

WHAT THE GRANT BOUGHT (itemised by Mona)
Henna supplies 
Stall kit
Business coaching

What has the grant achieved in twelve months?

Mona has left full-time work to run Henna HQ full time. She rebranded the business and grew her online reach from 1,900 to 2,600, and the work followed: 11 private bookings, 12 additional markets, 10 workshops and 6 festivals, including the Seddon Festival and the Sunbury Music Festival, events drawing crowds of 20,000. 

She now partners with 70 organisations and councils, among them Hume City Council, Manningham Council, Hobsons Bay Council, Banyule City Council, Darebin City Council, Anglicare Victoria, Amcal and even Melbourne Fashion Week. Across all of it she has served more than 1,000 customers this year.

Moreover, she is growing her workshop offerings. More than 100 people have taken part, run with youth groups and community services including Banksia Gardens and Drummond Street Services.

She has since launched Henna HQ Academy, free training for young henna artists, which costs her time and materials and earns her nothing directly. She is teaching the art to the young people who would once have been turned away.

The recognition has followed the work. Mona was a finalist for the 7NEWS Young Achiever of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, and was named a Hume Young Creative Leader.

How it happened

What does she need next?

Mona is looking for councils, festivals and community organisations to host her workshops, and for venues where the Academy can run regularly.

She is also expanding Henna HQ Academy so more young artists can train for free and turn the skill into paid work.