About Us & Contact

At SEED Community, we believe true development stems from collaboration.

Since 2011, as a UK-registered charity, we’ve worked with individuals and communities to nurture opportunities for social, economic, and environmental growth—building a foundation for a more equitable and sustainable world.

Our journey began in Johannesburg, offering interest-free loans to young women pursuing tertiary education. Inspired by the experiences of these students, we launched GirlZtalk in 2014—a platform providing a safe space for young women to share their voices, support one another, and navigate life’s challenges. Over time, GirlZtalk evolved into SheEvolves.world, a vibrant online storytelling platform amplifying the voices of black and brown women across the African continent. SheEvolves.world inspires connection and transformation through the power of storytelling.

In 2023, we launched 1000 Stories 100,000 Trees, a four-month program combining storytelling with environmental stewardship. Rooted in the African philosophy of Ubuntu—“I am because you are”—we extend this ethos to the earth: “I am because the earth is.” By sharing stories and planting trees, we aim to transform landscapes, foster community, and leave a legacy of thriving ecosystems.

This initiative builds on over a decade of impactful work, including projects like The Green Business College and The Ubuntu Project. In December 2024, our efforts were recognized with the Mail & Guardian Award for Biodiversity Stewardship.

Together, we are cultivating a future where people and nature flourish, one story and one tree at a time.

Meet the Team

Christina Vestey

Christina Vestey is the founder of Seed Community. With a Bachelors degree from Sydney University majoring in Social Anthropology, she worked with women in developing nations for 20 years. Her research into girls’ education and student loans in developing nations and their lack of availability, brought forth the concept for Seed Community, which she founded in May 2011. In 2014 she directed her first award winning documentary short, GirlZtalk. Her work with young women in South Africa led to the development of GirlZtalk as an online platform for girls. Between 2016 – 2017 she completed the Global Social Entrepreneurship Course at Basel University. In July 2017, together with Dorah Marema she opened the Green Business College in Johannesburg.

Contact: [email protected]

Dorah Marema

Dorah manages Seed Community’s operations in South Africa. She has an Honors degree in Information Science and has worked with a wide range of NGOs and in different sectors both rural and urban settings level since 1997. She has been involved in issues of sustainability since 2000 and she worked with a wide range of multi-stakeholder participatory initiatives involving communities, NGOs, government and other institutions in various sectors including small-scale agriculture, environment, climate change, renewable energy, gender and land-rights at local, national and international levels.

Contact: [email protected]

Mutshidzi Maria Kwinda

I was introduced to She Evolves in 2014 when it was called GirlZtalk under the umbrella of Seed Community. Although I was not formally part of the team, I have contributed to the organization in various capacities for at least five years. In 2020, when She Evolves was officially launched, I was part of the masterminds in the brainstorming process together with the founder Christina Vestey and co-founder Phindile Sithole-Spong. I have since been working as a writer and Facebook manager. My writing is mostly inspired by the healthcare knowledge I obtained in my undergraduate studies as a pharmacy student and my experience as a cancer survivor. Amongst many other writing genres, like book reviews, storytelling, sharing tips and tricks from tried experiences, I highly advocate for women’s health and well-being.

Contact: [email protected]

Nonhlanhla Nonny Vilakazi

Personal Statement: Though its through grace, it also requires your determination and hard-work I am the Editor and Project Co-ordinator for She-Evolves in the space of a collaborative grassroots project called “1000 Stories- 100’000 Trees”.

Interests:

  • Being the change, I want to see in my community. Any community-based work fulfills my purpose. Very passionate about denting a difference into a black community because I am because of it and I became through it.
  • Everything beauty (Fashion, facials, home aesthetics and trends)
  • Music
  • Interior Designing

Current Activities:

I was introduced to She-Evolves in 2024 April for an opportunity to step in as an Editor and Project Co-ordinator for She-Evolves which amplifies the voices of black African women through story telling. I have always had contact with the drive since 2010 through the mother body organization “Seed Community”. The student loan, in support of girl’s intuition fees and fortunately made it to be part of the organization in completing my degree. After I graduated, I was permanently employed by my previous employer however I never lost contact with the community because we were more of family than just organization that got us together. I followed GirlZtalk platform and in the introduction of She-Evolves, got to share my story and seeing it on their platform was enough of a change game to the ear that was longing for change.

Fast forward 9 years later when I resigned from my previous employer. I got an opportunity to be part of She-evolves. Engaging with different communities, sharing and uploading stories from all over through the powerful voices from our African ladies and now “guys” too and the honour to be part of planting and bringing the change we want to see in our communities is even more fulfilling.

She Evolves is for women to feel safe in being vulnerable….connect to their emotions….. share to the ear that is looking for upliftment and change and I am all about it. A women with pride and a huge story to tell amidst all tribulations!!!

Contact information: Instagram
Cell number: 0733850467
Email Address: [email protected]

Seed Community Trustees UK:

  • Christina Vestey
  • Line Hadsbjerg
  • Dirk Euler
Seed Community South Africa NPO:

  • Christina Vestey
  • Dorah Marema
  • Bongekile Dlamini

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