The Team
behind the scenes
SFH BOARD

Grace attwa
chair & trustee
Grace Attwa has been a volunteer with SFH since 2005. Grace has a wide experience in the Human Resources, has worked with GOAL Ireland Kenya, an international humanitarian organization aimed at eradicating poverty by empowering the youth through vocational trainings, HIV/AIDS Street Education and rescuing abused children. Before joining GOAL, Grace worked at the Coptic Hospital for nine years altogether growing in the field of HR through taking courses in HR Management and Business management some of which were sponsored by SFH. She has returned to the Hospital where she is the HR Manager. She is currently pursuing her B.S. Degree in Business Administration Majoring in Human Recourses. Grace also serves the teacher for the secondary class in the Coptic Orthodox Church. Grace’s passion for empowering youth especially girls started since 2002 when she was working as a volunteer with an Scottish organization called Seed of Hope Centre a vocational training centre that caters for orphaned and less privileged girls (coincidence) where she mentored teenage girls. She is very happy to join SFH in supporting this very noble act of providing educational support to youths as Education is the number one weapon for eradicating poverty.
Nadia Kist
Founder & board member
Nadia Kist is the Founder and Chairman 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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In May 2012, Nadia transitioned to the position of Executive Director, SFH Kenya full time to take SFH and its proven model of youth development to the next level! She brings to SFH a deep understanding of the socio-economic and cultural context linked to development challenges for underserved communities in the region. Nadia believes that this work is her destiny as her name also means Hope. She 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 is 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. During her visits there she was given the chance to spend time at the Hope Center and RAHA kids while in Nairobi, and fell in love with the people there. 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.
In her spare time she enjoys design, family time, and travel.
