THE TEAM
behind the scenes
SFH BOARD
Grace Attwa
CO-FOUNDER | CHAIRPERSON
Grace Attwa is the co-founder and chairperson of SFH. She has a strong passion for empowering young people. Hailing from a small village in Kenya called Embulbul, Grace witnessed many of her classmates dropping out of school due to lack of school fees. Her commitment to this cause began in 2002, when she became involved with a vocational training center for orphaned and less privileged girls. Grace is deeply passionate about supporting educational initiatives, believing that education is the number one weapon for eradicating poverty.​
Nadia Kist
CO-FOUNDER | BOARD MEMBER
Nadia Kist is the co-founder of SFH. She holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration with a specialization in International non-profit management as well as a dual Bachelor or Arts in African Studies and Politics, all from New York University. She is a seasoned public health professional with nearly 10 years experience developing and managing HIV/AIDS and community health programs in East Africa. Working with some of the most reputable organizations in health and development, including AED, ICF International, Trickle Up and World Vision, she has made innovative and published contributions to the HIV/AIDS response in Kenya. She has traveled extensively to share insight and outcomes from her various work experiences in HIV and development to international conferences and consultations including the International AIDS Conferences, US Department of State, and Windsor Castle.
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Nadia brings to SFH a deep understanding of the socio-economic and cultural context linked to development challenges for underserved communities in the region. She believes that this work is her destiny as her name also means Hope. Nadia speaks Swahili and has a personal dream to visit all 54 countries in Africa at some point in her life (She has already been to 11!).
Paul Kist
BOARD MEMBER
Paul Kist is on a mission. The mission takes different forms and different shapes, but overall, his mission is to empower those he comes into contact with, while creating something interesting. Empowerment, and Creation: this is his life’s mission and is often finding different ways and modes of doing so. Today, Paul spends most of his time as a Software Engineer in San Francisco, and learning about the ins and outs of growing a business.
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Paul is usually off doing something interesting. Many years ago one of those interesting things was buying a one-way ticket to Nairobi. During his time there, he was challenged by the lives he saw there that were changed by mutual respect, and empowerment. Paul has since become a strong advocate for Seeds For Hope, using his photography and storytelling abilities to make others around the world aware of the human experience happening in the places Seeds For Hope is working, and the impact this organization is having on people in East Africa.
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Paul has also been known to dabble in music.
Magi Labib
TREASURER
Magi is an optometrist by trade, but her true passion is nonprofit work and service. She grew up in northern New Jersey but has lived in Pennsylvania for over a decade. She enjoys taking on new projects and is active in her church.
Magi visited Kenya in 2011 and 2013, so Kenya and Seeds for Hope are very dear to her heart. Her visits to Kenya helped her especially appreciate the importance of education, something so easily taken for granted in the US. Education is vital in empowering youth to make a change for the better, for themselves and others.
Magi joined the SFH team in 2023.
