ABOUT US

We See A Future of Transformed Lives

Our Team

We aim to create life-long partnerships with each student, team member, volunteer and like-minded organizations. We embrace the philosophy that two are better than one, we can not do it alone, and we need the talents and special gifts of all people to succeed as an organization.

Meet our awesome team members ↓

Wambula Henry Saka

Wambula is our Chief Operations Manager whose passion is to make significant contributions towards transforming thousands of young men and women through the power of education. He has a background in education, having worked over six years with World Vision as an Education Development Specialist. Wambula loves connecting with young adults and his motivation is that he sees a future generation that needs support and is committed to come along side of them.
Bertha Chanya

Bertha is the Assistant Principal for Good Soil Academy with a passion for education that transforms the lives of young people physically, spiritually, and intellectually. Bertha designed and implemented lesson plans aligned with curriculum objectives, providing personalized student support and fostering academic and personal growth. Bertha is also experienced in psychometrics and has conducted academic assessments for over 20 years. Apart from teaching, Bertha has done several Continuous Professional Development Programs (CPD) such as Strengthening of Mathematics and Science Education (SMASSE). Through SMASSE, she has been a Divisional trainer for over 13 years, training teachers in the many ways they can enhance their teaching methods. Bertha is also a lesson study expert trained in the improvement of the quality of education through a program called Knowledge Co-Creation (KCCP) gaining expertise in Japan & and the Netherlands. Through these Professional Development Programs, Bertha has been collaborating with colleagues from within Malawi and outside Malawi to find ways of improving learner’s performance. Bertha is a graduate of Mukuba University in Zambia and the University of Malawi and has worked in the Ministry of Education as a secondary school teacher for 20 years.
Ishmael Mussa

Ishmael is the Finance Officer responsible for managing the GSP accounts in Malawi. His role is to assist in the formulation of budgets, manage the transactions of Good Soil Partners-Malawi by reconciling transactions, managing records and receipts. His focus is to make sure that important operating procedures are in place for stewarding financial resources of GSP. He is the key contact for others on financial and accounting matters.
Tony Emmanuel

Tony is our Logistics and Property Manager who makes sure that all of our resources are maintained so that our team in Malawi can focus on servicing the needs of our students and communities. From maintaining our vehicles to putting in place security measures, Tony brings a strong work ethic and servant's heart to our ministry.
Lauren Klas

Lauren is our Digital Marketing Coordinator located in New York City who spearheads our US digital media through various online platforms. With a background in graphic design and marketing, Lauren looks to capture the stories of our students, our organization, and the communities we live and work in and share them in honest, engaging, and beautiful ways.
Jamie Utz

Jamie is our Bookkeeper, located in Massachusetts, who accounts for the donations and expenditures for the Good Soil Partners state side operation. She handles the day to day financial operations from payroll to donation receipts and record keeping. Jamie comes from a background in Accounting and has a passion for being organized and lending a hand where needed.

The Good Soil Partners story began in 2010 when a group of people from the United States traveled to Malawi to assist at an orphanage.

Upon arrival in Malawi, the group was diverted from the orphanage for three days. During this time, the group experienced the harsh realities of life in a Malawian village. Both a burden and a vision to help the youth of Malawi was born—a new non-profit organization was created to carry out this mission.

After 14 years of providing access to education through scholarships, we are transitioning from focusing solely on scholarships to fostering scholars. In September 2025, we will launch Good Soil Academy, a Christian secondary boarding school for girls that strives for excellence. Our mission is to nurture the lives of young women throughout Malawi by offering opportunities for spiritual growth, Bible-centered leadership training, biblical entrepreneurship training, academic achievement, and skills acquisition. Each graduating student will be empowered to recognize her potential, honor God, live generously, add value to others, and consistently do the right thing.

Good Soil Partners is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization registered in the United States working hand-in-hand with Good Soil Partners in Malawi, which is registered as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Malawi. Our goal is to eradicate poverty by educating the youth of Malawi and empowering them to grow into leaders in their community to build a better, stronger future. Good Soil Partners is more than a name — it’s a way of being, it’s a way of leading, and it directly ties to our overall purpose and vision.

Steven & Cindy Chartier

Good soil partners CoFounders

Steven & Cindy Chartier have served as the core leadership team for the organization for the past 12 years. They are following the calling they’ve received from God to help the young men & women in Malawi reach their potential by giving them a choice. They believe that the young people of Malawi are the future of the country and just need the right support for them to become self-sustained.

Steven and Cindy serve as full-time volunteers, traveling to Malawi four times a year to work with the Good Soil Partners Team on the ground. They help children improve their education, leadership, and entrepreneurship skills.

When they are at home in the United States, they work to establish partners who will help fund the necessary work in Malawi. Daily Zoom calls keep them connected with the team in Malawi.

Steven and Cindy are blessed to have adopted three children from the country and have many more that call them Mom & Dad.

Board Members

USA & International Board Members

Steven Chartier
Board Member

Dean Eggert
President &
Board Member

Cindy Chartier
Treasurer

Solomon Nkhalamba
Vice President &
Board Member

Kary Faber
Board Member

Linda Potter
Board Secretary

Select Partners

Heritage Helps Foundation

The Heritage Helps Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation founded by the owners of Heritage Home Service for the purpose of helping to meet the need within our local and global communities by partnering with 501c3 non-profit organizations focused on enriching the lives of children and families, especially the at-risk and disadvantaged. When the Heritage Helps Foundation was made aware of Good Soil Partners efforts in Malawi, and specifically its mission to meet the needs of the clinic in Kang’oma Village, partnering with Good Soil Partners seemed a perfect match. Their work in Malawi directly impacts families and children, which aligns perfectly with the mission of the Heritage Helps Foundation.
Heritage Home Services

One of the core values of Heritage is giving back to the communities that we serve in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. After witnessing the living conditions of the children of Malawi, it became clear that the “community” needed to be global. Good Soil Partners is invested in meeting the needs of the global community, so partnering with this organization was an easy decision to make.
Heckman Financial

Servant’s Heart is one of our core values and speaks to our dedication to serve others both as individuals and as a team. We see the passion, support the mission, and are fortunate to have the opportunity to partner alongside Good Soil Partners as they empower the youth of Malawi.
“There is nothing more powerful than a humble person with a servant’s heart and a warrior spirit who is driven by a bigger purpose.”
–Jon Gordon”