SEEDS was established in 1997 under the name 'Eye of the Horn Project,' by Meheret Worku and her husband Scott Smillie. When Meheret, who is originally from Ethiopia, and her husband Scott, visited Ethiopia for the first time after Meheret left some 15 years earlier, the two were inspired to offer children in Ethiopia the opportunities that they had been blessed with. Meheret, a teacher, and Scott, who has a Social Work background, formed the organisation on their return to Canada.