Director on the board at Eco Mama’s Uganda Ltd, Former General Manager of The Institute of Holistic Nutrition's Vancouver Campus, founder of IHN's Overseas Apprenticeship Program, avid world traveller, vocal environmental and human rights activist; Shayna's passion for sustainability isn't something she does, it is who she is. From living and working in some of the worlds poorest countries, and sharing wisdom with the women of their nations, Shayna's passion stems from real life, on the ground experience with people and the environment in which they live. Whether local or international, Shayna believes that co-creative education inspiring Consciousness about each other and the world in which we live, is the only way to a sustainable future. Shayna is the proud mother to three beautiful children and wife to co- founder Ado. She regularly practices yoga, meditation and organic gardening when she is not spending time preparing healthy food for family and friends.

Founder of Eco Mama’s Uganda Ltd, organic gardener, and proud African-Canadian father of three - Ado is honoured to represent the people of his homeland through Rudi Organics products and Eco Mama’s Community Gardens, both in Canada and abroad. Ado’s active role in the organization as International Liaison has provided Eco Mama’s with invaluable expertise, including his use of 5 languages to ensure equitable trade practices are being exercised in all activities and products produced. Ado is a true Pan-African at heart, and believes in equality for all human beings. Ado’s diverse life experience and cultural background connects him on a heart level to people of all nations and descents anchored with the birth of humanity from our East African roots. Ado’s passion is in organic farming, and he holds a strong vision for sustainability through organic agriculture in Africa. Ado meditates, practices yoga and cooks amazing holistic, Afro- Canadian fusion dishes when he is not in the garden or liaising with our teams in East Africa.

Felix M. Likami’s passion is building healthy soils for raising quality food. He holds a BSc in Natural Resource Management from Egerton University (Kenya) and a diploma in Biointensive Agriculture. Both of these add so much value to his quest to empower communities in realizing the enormous benefits of Biointensive Agriculture.

Felix has worked as an Environment and Health Officer at Kibos Sugar & Allied Industries Ltd, a college administrator at Kenya College of Science and Technology, and a volunteer trainer at Manor house Agricultural Centre, all leading to his position as the Founder and Director of Biointensive Support Group that embraces household farming techniques.

Felix’s vast experience has laid the basis for his position as the Project Manager for Eco Mama’s Global- Uganda, where he manages all aspects of our 6.5 acre outdoor education centre and Community Gardens.

Data and Climate Action Journalist

Seth is a multi-talented journalist and photographer who has spent the last decade covering headline-grabbing stories in Africa. He began his career as a reporter and photographer for a local newspaper, People Daily in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, quickly rising through the ranks to become a respected correspondent for international news agencies, Xinhua and Financial Fortune as well investigative projects with Transparency International.

He has a deep understanding of the continent and the issues that affect it, with a particular focus on environmental and social justice. Seth has built a reputation for producing incisive and well-researched articles that challenge the status quo and bring attention to important issues that are often overlooked by mainstream media.

He currently writes for Bird Story Agency, a media service of Africa No Filter, an organization that aims to change narratives in and about Africa away from dangerous stereotypes and towards more accurate, nuanced and empowering perspectives —basically explaining Africa to a world that misunderstood it for a long time. As a senior writer for Bird, he is at the forefront of producing content that aims to show Africa as home to “normal”, rational, loving, empathetic, hard-working people living “regular” lives, by creating stories that capture and reflect these lives as opposed to previous agency offerings that tended to focus on breaking/hard news, with its inevitable negative bias, and disaster headlines.

With a passion for storytelling and a commitment to making a positive impact, Seth is a respected and influential voice in the media landscape of Africa.

Zarya Chelsea Thomas is a Canadian-Afro-Caribbean-Celtic mom of four, educator, and community researcher with a deep gratitude for the traditional territories of the WSANEC and Quw’utsun peoples on which currently resides with her family. As a passionate believer in the necessity of preventative, restorative and relational approaches to diverse, inclusive and decolonizing education, Zarya wears many hats as a Professional Development Facilitator with Change it Up, Academic Teaching Faculty with the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Education and a Community-based Researcher and Education Coordinator with The Living Lab Project. She is graciously humbled by opportunities to weave and learn from/with Indigenous ways of knowing-being-doing on/with the land and water as a non-Indigenous settler of Turtle Island.

Juliet is the proud mother of 4 and the guardian to an additional 3 children. She lives in Kitale, Kenya, not far from the village she was born and raised. Juliet has a college Diploma in Food and Beverage Management and has been educated in Holistic Nutrition, Natural Medicine and Biointensive Farming.

From 2013 - 2021, Juliet was Project Coordinator for Eco Mamas Kenya, working on site in rural communities throughout the Rift Valley. Juliets educated (primarily) women and children on the importance of growing organic food, implementing biodynamic garden beds, and healing through nutrition and indigenous herbal medicine.

In her time at EMG, Juliet acquired land in her own name, and is now running Juliets Organics from her land. She remains an ambassador for and Director on the Board at EMG.

“I’m proud to have this opportunity to work with EMG and to change people’s lives for the better!”

Samuel graduated with a bachelors degree in Procurement and Supplies Management in 2007 and Law Development Centre in 2004. He worked with Byenkya, Kihika & Co. Advocates in Kampala Uganda from 2001- 2006, Kampala Associated Advocates as legal assistant from 2006- 2008 and then with the International Justice Mission from 2012- 2016 as Case Operations Legal Officer. In addition to being the Operations Consultant for EMU, Samuel is also the lead pastor at Life In Jesus church and has a passion for empowering marginalized people.