Our team
School gardens bring people together. Our work connects leadership, educators, wellbeing practitioners and community participation around a shared purpose: helping children learn, feel supported and thrive.
Founder & leadership
Founder · Author · Human Rights Advocate
Maggie Kay is a Kenyan-born author, human rights advocate and social entrepreneur who champions education, human dignity and sustainable change.
As founder of Maggie Kay Foundation, she connects school gardens, practical learning and children’s wellbeing with a wider commitment to opportunity and self-determination. Her approach emphasizes local knowledge, participation and skills that communities can carry forward.
Her writing extends that advocacy. In Heavenly Hell: When the Things Meant to Save Us Become the Things We Must Survive, she uses fiction to examine power, institutional accountability and the experiences of people whose voices are overlooked. The novel asks readers to consider what happens when institutions intended to help also cause harm—and whose experience should guide the response.
These concerns inform her vision of sustainable change: support that respects people’s choices, strengthens their ability to act and remains accountable beyond the moment a project is celebrated. Her earlier book, Ask Believe Receive, also reflects her commitment to education and overcoming barriers to opportunity.
Our people
Plant Pathologist
Plant health & garden resilience
Provides a plant-health perspective on garden planning, crop care and the questions schools encounter as their gardens grow. The role focuses on helping translate specialist knowledge into practical guidance suited to local growing conditions.
School Administrator
Education & school coordination
Connects garden activities with school priorities, staff coordination and the learning timetable. The role focuses on practical planning, communication with educators and age-appropriate student participation.
Board Advisor
Strategy & community perspective
Advises on organizational direction and the relationship between program plans and community priorities. The role brings an advisory perspective to sustainable growth, partnerships and responsible decision-making.
Board Member
Governance & accountability
Contributes to oversight of the Foundation’s direction and priorities. The role focuses on reviewing plans, asking questions about resources and results, and keeping decisions connected to the Foundation’s mission.
Board development
The following names and roles form the proposed board structure. Appointments are to be confirmed; the descriptions set out each role’s intended responsibilities.
Board Chair
Board leadership & strategic direction
Proposed responsibilities include guiding board meetings, coordinating oversight, keeping decisions aligned with the mission and following up on agreed priorities.
Vice Chair
Board continuity & coordination
Proposed responsibilities include supporting the Chair, coordinating board work, following up on action items and providing continuity when the Chair is unavailable.
Board Secretary
Governance records & communication
Proposed responsibilities include organizing meeting notices and agendas, recording minutes and resolutions, and maintaining clear, accessible board records.
Treasurer
Financial oversight & stewardship
Proposed responsibilities include reviewing budgets and financial reports, helping the board understand resource use, and supporting appropriate financial controls and reporting.
Board Member — Partnerships & Fundraising
Partnerships & donor engagement
Proposed responsibilities include helping develop mission-aligned relationships, supporting fundraising planning and communicating clearly with donors about program needs and commitments.
Board Member — Education & Community Engagement
Schools & community participation
Proposed responsibilities include bringing school and community perspectives into board discussions, supporting educational partnerships and encouraging feedback from the people programs serve.
Working together
Our garden model brings several kinds of support together. Each contribution helps connect what happens in the garden with children's everyday lives.
Teachers connect hands-on garden activities with classroom learning, helping children practise responsibility, curiosity and teamwork.
Explore school gardensQualified practitioners bring listening, age-appropriate support and referral pathways to the garden model, working within their professional scope.
Our wellbeing approachVolunteers and community participation help sustain the practical work of growing, sharing skills and caring for school gardens.
Explore volunteeringCare & accountability
Respect for children's dignity, privacy and voice guides our approach. Clear responsibilities, appropriate supervision and professional boundaries matter in every part of the work.
Bring your skills
Interested in contributing your time, professional experience or a partnership? Tell us how you would like to be involved.
