Jim and Sheila Musto

Jim was born and raised in Zimbabwe. After completing a B.Sc. Agriculture at the Univeristy of Natal he took up a research post as a soil scientist at a Forestry Research institute and continued studying. After 6 years of flirting with an academic career the calling to return north of the Limpopo became too strong. He and his newly-wed wife, Sheila, got on their bicycles and headed north. Several punctures later and after some hair-raising traffic experiences in Nairobi, they decided that for the sake of their sanity and their marriage it would be a good idea to lay down the bicycles and find some employment in Kenya, which eventually transpired in a dairy farming job in the Rift Valley. Fours years later they returned to Zimbabwe to farm tobacco and coffee, but this was cut short after two years by Mugabe’s land plan, and resulted in a return to dairy farming – this time south of the Limpopo, near the village of Magaliesburg, west of Johannesburg. The Musto tribe, now numbering 6, moved further south in 2008 to the beautiful Kaba game farm. Jim has always been interested in livestock, game farming and veld management. He also shares his wife’s passion for educating youngsters in the exciting business of life. He has cycled, run and kayaked competitively for several years and has also spent most of his life involved with horses – for work and pleasure.

Sheila was born and raised in the farming areas west of Johannesburg. The daughter of exceptionally dynamic and innovative parents, Chippy and Cynthia Brand, Sheila has inherited that same contagious excitement for life and for people. After completing a two year diploma in Biblical studies followed by a BA at UCT, Sheila traveled and worked in the UK and Europe for a year before returning to enroll for her HDE (Higher Diploma in Education) at the University of Natal. She had been enjoying high school teaching at Epworth Girls College in Pietermaritzburg, when she was persuaded to join her husband on his north bound travels. She was recognised by both teachers and pupils as an inspiring and exciting teacher, and she has remained passionate about teaching young people. Sheila is also passionate about cooking and healthy eating and living – she thoroughly enjoys her sessions with the Quest students, inspiring them with the joys of growing and preparing food that is tasty and healthy. Her background in English and drama teaching have meant she can also have an important role in the development of public speaking skills. She often combines this with discussions on relationships and spiritual matters - subjects that are both very close to her heart, and form an important theme in the Quest experience.

Young Guides

The Young Guides play a hands-on leadership role at Quest. The guides work closely as a team, bringing energy and structure to the program. Two guides live on campus at all times, making sure things run smoothly and that students have support whenever they need it. They take responsibility for keeping standards high in every area of campus life and are the go-to people for day-to-day questions or issues.

Instructors

The instructors play a vital role in upskilling the students. Each one teaches two skills drawn from their previous professional experience, ensuring competent guidance throughout the course. Working closely with Jim and Sheila, they reinforce the teachings and standards taught at Quest.