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Mission and Goals

 

The mission of SEED is to address the need for qualified teachers by providing educational opportunities to exceptional students from rural communities in Zambia who lack the financial resources to attend teacher-training college. SEED is guided by the belief that education is the key to empowerment of both the individual and a community.

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Many young men and women from rural areas in Zambia lack access to post secondary education due to limited resources. We provide opportunities to young people in rural Zambian communities with increased access to teacher certification.

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During each school year, we sponsor six students to attend Malcolm Moffat College of Education (MMCE) in Serenje, Zambia. The MMCE prepares students for a career in teaching during a two year program resulting in a Zambian Teacher's Education Course (ZATEC) certificate. Graduates from the college are posted throughout the country and begin their careers in educating Zambia's youth.

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SEED is governed by a Board of Trustees (BOT) currently composed of 14 members (4 Executives and 10 Trustees). One of our greatest strengths lies in the diverse backgrounds of our BOT. Each member brings a unique perspective to our decision making process which results in a thorough, well balanced organization.

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Executive Committee

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Joshua Moser, President    

Joshua Moser is a marine biologist working at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, MA; he works with commercial fishermen to collect data which is to be used in statistical stock analyses. Josh was a . Peace Corps volunteer who was posted approximately 10 miles to the east of Serenje, Zambia. During his service he educated rural farmers on improved methods of earthen pond construction, sustainable aquaculture methods and the development of markets in which to sell the fish they raise. He also conducted community seminars on the prevalence and prevention of HIV/AIDS, raising general awareness and understanding of the disease.

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Herman Schaffer, VICE President    

Herman Schaffer is the Deputy Commissioner for Community Engagement for New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM), where he coordinates NYCEM's outreach efforts to increase awareness around individual and community emergency preparedness. Herman was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Chalilo, Zambia, a village 60 miles Northwest of Serenje. During his service he worked to develop rural communities ability to address issues around Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Education (WASHA). Herman has a Masters in Social Work from Hunter College.

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James Moser, Secretary 

James J. Moser earned the M.Div. from Colgate Rochester Divinity School and the D.Min degree from Pittsburgh Theoilogical Seminary. He served as a pastor in Pennsylvania and New York for twenty-five years. During those years he provided leadership for CROP and Habitat for Humanity. He has also participated in mission projects in Israel and Kenya, focusing on pastoral and education leadership development. James also has a B.A. in English from Oswego State University, teaching composition there for nine years. Currently he teaches college writing and religion in South Carolina.

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Mimi Moser, Treasurer

Mimi C. Moser earned an R.N. degree and has served as a registered nurse in New York State. She also has earned a B.A. degree as well as a Unified Masters degree in Education from Oswego State University. Over recent years she has served as social worker, elementary education teacher and school nurse/teacher. Across her career in the health and education fields, Mimi has also served the community as a childbirth educator. She has participated in three mission trips, one to the Dominican Republic and two to Kenya, for school construction and teacher education projects.

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SEED SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE

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Priscilla Mulenga

Priscilla Mulenga is the youngest of four children born to Joseph B. Mulenga, the namesake of our scholarship program. Presently, she is the General Manager of the Mapontela Restaurant and Guesthouse in Serenje, Zambia; she is also the President of the Natwangale Foundation (the Zambian branch of SEED) and serves as the chair of the SEED Scholarship Committee. Her work is critical to the organization as she oversees all of SEED's Zambian operations and is in charge of monitoring our scholarship recipients.

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Trustees

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Rebekah Cahill 

Rebekah Cahill earned her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Syracuse University. She earned her MFT license in the state of Pennsylvania in 2007 and currently works in private practice. Throughout her career, she has provided in home therapy services to victims of violent crime in the greater Philadelphia area, as well as to at risk youth within the Philadelphia Archdiocese. She currently serves on the committee for the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Rebekah has participated in a mission project in Kenya for school construction and teacher education.

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Alex King 

Alex King is a second year college student at Penn State. He will graduate in May 2026. He is currently majoring in Energy Business Finance in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Alex has been a lifeguard and summer camp counselor for the past few summers. He traveled to Zambia in 2018 with his family and visited Malcolm Moffat College of Education (MMCE) in Serenje. Like others on the board, Alex fell in love with Zambia and the Zambian people. He has helped his dad Nate organize the Greenwood Furnace Trail Challenge, which has raised money for SEED. He joined the board on SEED in May 2021.

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Elizabeth King 

Elizabeth King is an Associate Teaching Professor and the Assistant Program Manager for Online Geospatial Education at The Pennsylvania State University. Beth teaches courses in Penn State's online certificate and masters programs in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and advises students in the Master of GIS Program and the M.S. in Spatial Data Science program. She earned a B.S. in Geography and M.Ed. in Adult Education from The Pennsylvania State University. 

 

Nathan King    

Nathan King is currently a high school biology teacher in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. He earned his B.S. in Biology and M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from The Pennsylvania State University. A former RAP (Rural Aquaculture Promotion) Peace Corps Volunteer from 1998-2000; he was stationed in Chibale, Serenje District. Nate's dream is to go back to Zambia with his family and visit the people who inspired him (planted the seed) to become a teacher: The Mulenga Family; the fish farmers of Chibale, and the town of Serenje.

 

Bethany Lukban

Bethany M. Lukban received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) from Syracuse University. She is currently studying for her MFT licensure exam and plans to open a private practice and ultimately and adoption agency once achieved. She earned her B.A. in Psychology and Art from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. Throughout her career she has provided services to children and families in the greater Philadelphia area. She has participated in three mission projects, two to the Dominican Republic and one to Kenya, Africa for school construction and teacher education. She also enjoyed a trip to Zambia, Africa to visit her brother Josh while he was in the Peace Corps.

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Vincent Lukban 

Vincent D. Lukban is schooled in Computer Science from Hunter College, and Computer Forensics in Thompkins Cortland College. Currently a Network Engineer for Brandywine Realty Trust, he is responsible for the WAN/LAN infrastructure of the company and is charged with architecting/maintaining/managing it. He has been in the IT field for more than twelve years in the New York, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania region. He has been involved in a number of non-profit fundraisers and events throughout the Philadelphia region.

 

Ronnie Minganja 

Ronnie Minganja was raised by her uncle, Joseph B. Mulenga, in the town of Serenje, Zambia. She grew up under his guidance and inherited the morals and values which gave him his standing in the community. Ronnie arrived in the US in 2002 and is one of the originating members and primary driving forces behind the founding of Self Empowerment through Education. Currently she is working as a Certified Nurse's Aide and is enrolled in a program to become a Registered Nurse.

 

Kathleen Schaffer

Kathleen Schaffer is  a Senior Consultant at AC Disaster Consulting where she works to support local and state governments in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.  Kathleen worked at Family Care International, a non-governmental organization based in New York City as a program officer for the Anglophone Africa program. Kathleen was also a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jordan and served as an English Teacher.  Kathleen has a Master's of Science in International Development from Tulane University.

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