Our Origin Story

The Very Beginning

The story of Keela is, in many ways, a by-product of my family’s intersectional and intergenerational history. It’s a testament to the value and spirit of civil society. 

Born in Vancouver, Canada, to two incredibly hard-working and loving immigrant parents, I grew up with a keen sense of what a strong, diverse community looked like and how important it is to be good to and for each other.

My family has lived on four continents over the past four generations—and their migrations were usually not by choice. My great-grandparents fled India due to religious persecution, chasing a better life, safety, and opportunity in Tanzania.

A generation later, my grandparents experienced a change to their peaceful existence with growing political unrest in the region. A nationalization agenda by the Tanzanian government that specifically targeted South Asians provoked fears of persecution in our ethnic community. This time, my family fled Tanzania and moved to England.

With the support of an incredible community that included families, religious institutions, and charity organizations, my parents grew to become the inspiring people they are today. And when they moved to Canada, they never forgot how civil society had transformed their lives. They instilled that sense of community, giving back, and contributing to civil society in their children. 

Community, giving back, and contributions to civil society are three crucial elements of the nonprofit sector. 

For as long as I can remember, the nonprofit sector has been part of my life—from raising money, to volunteering to eventually leading organizations. This sector is in my DNA. The more involved I got, the more I realized the enormous impact nonprofits have every day and how much they are an essential part of the fabric of our community.

Keela is Born

After years of fundraising, founding and working with nonprofits, authoring a book about change, and studying more about the nonprofit sector at graduate and law school, I realized that more had to be done to strengthen the organizations and professionals who work tirelessly every day, to make our society better. 

A strong nonprofit sector is fundamental to our freedom, harmony, protection, success, and growth as a society. Without it, we would not be where we are today. 

Keela was born out of a desire to strengthen the nonprofit sector. We understand that technology is more than capable of transforming the way we work, fundraise, build relationships with donors and do good. And our tools are setting the pace for the future of the nonprofit sector. 

Powered by artificial intelligence, Keela’s fundraising and donor communications tools are on the cutting edge of innovation in the sector. Our tools are designed to help nonprofit professionals, no matter the size of their organization, elevate their work, further their impact, and strengthen their communities. 

Most importantly, at Keela, we believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Our company’s name is an iteration of the Swahili word “kila,” which means “every” or “all.” We are committed to creating tools that are accessible, inclusive, and capable of supporting every nonprofit organization and professional building our community and civil society.

My family’s experiences have taught me that, together, we can navigate any challenge, create a positive change, and leave a legacy of resilience for future generations.

Group shot showing 5 members of the Keela team

Will You Join Us?