Our Team

Students for Education, Empowerment and Development (SEED) is a registered charity that was created by a group of nine university students in 2005 who were passionate about the barriers that existed in Lusaka for those who wished to access education.

Initially an organization that focused solely on the provision of scholarships to students who could not afford to go to elementary school, SEED has now evolved into a grassroots community of people in all corners of the world. Members of this group work not only to gather funds, but also to engage themselves and others in continual discussion about ‘development’, as well as promote individual and collective empowerment as one of the many tools necessary to create sustained social change.

We welcome all questions, comments, ideas, concerns, and feedback, so please feel free to contact us.

 
Meghan Bruni

Meghan is the founder and Executive Director of SEED Kenya. A school teacher in Toronto with a Masters degree in International Development, she is passionate about the role of education in driving social change. During a trip to Kenya and Zambia in 2006, Meghan met many hard working students that were consistently being sent home for not being able to pay their school fees. She started interviewing students and liaising with community leaders to launch a high school scholarship program in western Kenya. Later the same year, her meeting with Padox Aouki in Kibera marked the beginning of a long-term partnership that led to the establishment of SEED Junior Academy (SJA).
Meghan has revisited Kenya in 2010, 2013 and 2018, where she reevaluated and expanded SEED programs. Her conviction that every child has the right to a free education keeps her passionate about the cause.

 

 
Steve Ogola

Steve has been our Scholarship Program Manager in Ukwala, Kenya since 2006. His responsibilities include meeting with current and potential beneficiaries, collecting and organizing student profiles and databases, assessing the impact of our work, and communicating with locals schools.

Beside his interest in community education, Steve is also passionate about healthcare. He works as a nurse at Matibabu Clinic, a community health centre in Ukwala, where he lives with his wife and three children.

 
 
Padox Aouki

Padox “Patrick” Aouki has been the School Administrator of SEED Junior Academy (SJA) since it began in 2007. With a BA in Community Development and Project Management, and having lived in Kibera slums for most of his life, Padox brings his knowledge and passion to SJA. 
Through his role as School Administrator, Padox works with our teachers and cook to provide a daily education and meal program to SJA’s students.  He seeks funding opportunities for the school with ambition, and has formed local community partnerships to support the school. He lives in Kibera with his wife and three children.

 

 
Steven Bernstein

Steven initially became involved with SEED in 2016 as a Director of Fundraising, specifically focused on producing Buddha on Fire, an immersive yoga experience in Toronto, Canada. His role has expanded to include website design, strategic planning, and everyday operations.

 

 
Mohamed Zakzouk

Mohamed has been involved with SEED since 2010, contributing to the charity’s strategic planning as a member of the Board of Directors. Based in Calgary, he currently works as an Advisor in the Government of Canada. Mohamed is deeply aware of the divisions and inequalities that inflict our shared planet. For him, social change starts with education; the local classroom is the ideal place to sow the seeds of a better world.

 

 
Nina Modi

Nina is a co-founder of SEED and currently sits on the Board of Directors. She is a lawyer in Ontario and devotes her time to several charities that focus on poverty, human trafficking, and community development. When asked to describe her early travel with SEED, Nina stated: “SEED was born from the desire to not leave the stories of the children we met behind… we knew we could use our resources in Canada to do something more significant.” She added that her work with SEED has been enriching and rewarding.

Board of Directors

Meghan Bruni
Mohamed Zakzouk
Nitasha Puri
Nina Modi
Steve Ogola

The Directors do not get an honorarium for their participation on the Board.