At 5th World, we share the same passion for regenerative living that our clients do. That’s because our work designing and implementing regenerative solutions aligns with our interests, values, lifestyles, and goals. It’s no surprise, then, that staff members sometimes become customers!
That’s the case with Naheed Henderson, Chief Product and Marketing Officer, 5th World. With extensive experience in international business, she has led significant growth in reputable companies. She has also built world-renowned edtech solutions and global startup acceleration and incubation programs in partnership with key government, Indigenous, and educational institutions. Her career reflects a deep commitment to inclusive, forward-thinking innovation that is community-centered, environmentally conscious, and rooted in purpose.
That same commitment to meaningful impact is reflected in Naheed’s regenerative lifestyle. Based in Pemberton, British Columbia, she lives on a 10-acre family farm with her husband and two children.
One of Naheed’s main property goals is to produce a regenerative supply of nutritious food for herself and her family—while selling some of it on the side.
“The big push for me is I grew up on a farm. I want to make sure that there is knowledge transfer to the next generation, so my kids have basic farming skills and more self-sufficiency,” she said. “I love growing my own food; when I eat a vegetable that I’ve harvested, it tastes so much better and means so much more.”
Naheed’s farm is a mix of animal husbandry, including chickens, hens, cows, and goats. The property also features a large and lush vegetable garden that’s nourished in part by moisture collected in water captures located throughout the land—such as swales, sloughs, and rooftop rainwater captures that fill water troughs. The family largely subsists on fresh meat, eggs, dairy, and produce from the farm.
Naheed wanted to explore new ways to produce food. Specifically, she pictured planting an orchard along the path her children take to school, creating a beautiful, shaded landscape where they could walk and enjoy harvesting fruit together. So, she ran a Regen Tracker land assessment with 5th World to inform her planning.
Regen Tracker determined the area where Naheed wanted to build the orchard wasn’t ideal, since the soil isn’t fertile enough. So, she engaged 5th Wold’s Regenerative Property Design team to find a solution that could enable her to build the orchard exactly where she wanted it. And they proposed she create more desirable soil conditions by adding a swale to collect water.
While Regen Tracker is typically used to plan regenerative food, water, and energy systems in response to a land’s natural features, Naheed’s experience shows it can also guide land modifications to accommodate a client’s specific goals.
“My biggest gain out of Regen Tracker was showing me how I could work with the land to make it fit my design preferences,” said Naheed.
For Naheed, another benefit of Regen Tracker is that it simplifies the typically complicated and fragmented land assessment process by giving people everything they need in one place, in an easy-to-understand format.
“I saw a meme online about how the complexity of permaculture can paralyze people, and its whole point was to say: ‘Don’t get stuck overthinking it.’ You don’t have to know all these systems to get started—just do it,” she said. “I think Regen Tracker solves this paralysis issue; it gives you the information you need to get started if you’re thinking about land and property design.”
In Naheed’s case, Regen Tracker was used, not at the start, but well into the process of adding regenerative solutions to her property. It was able to provide her with more guidance as she continues to embrace the lifestyle she envisions for herself and her family.
“To me, it’s about living in a net-positive way—moving beyond sustainability and actually making nature better and making our relationship to nature better. I don’t think we actually have to make a bunch of sacrifices, it’s more about finding new ways to produce food, water and energy, and managing those resources differently.”
She continued:
“There’s a big legacy piece for me because I have children. I think it’s a responsibility of mine to pass on a better way of being to them.”
