Clementina Mwambene, the Head of SEGA’s Modern Girl Community Outreach Program, recently embarked on a journey to the East Coast of the United States. The trip was an opportunity to connect with those supporting SEGA and its mission to empower young girls in Tanzania. Clementina expressed her joy in meeting familiar faces from Zoom calls and new supporters alike, saying, “Meeting people in person… made me understand that there are people behind all that we do, who truly love and care about SEGA and the work we do on the ground.”

Doreen, a Form 3 student at SEGA, proudly represented Tanzania in the 2024 FIRST Global Challenge, a prestigious robotics competition held in Athens, Greece, from September 26th to 29th. The event brought together students from over 190 countries to compete under the theme “Feeding the Future.” Organized by FIRST Global, a nonprofit focused on promoting STEM education, the competition emphasizes teamwork, innovation, and inclusivity, encouraging young minds to collaborate and tackle global challenges.

The International Day of the Girl, observed on October 11th, highlights the challenges girls face worldwide and promotes their rights and empowerment. It's a day to raise awareness, celebrate achievements, and advocate for a more equitable future for girls. To mark this special day, some Form 3 students from SEGA, shared their experiences attending an all-girls school. Their insights reveal the profound impact of such an environment, one that cultivates confidence, leadership, and personal development at every turn.

At the SEGA Girls’ School, every girl admitted embarks on a journey of empowerment, education, and personal growth. But how are these girls chosen? Behind every selection is a meticulous, thoughtful process designed to enable bright, motivated girls in Tanzania to transform their futures. This blog highlights the key steps involved in this in-depth process.

Meet Suzan, SEGA’s dedicated Child Protection Officer, whose passion and experience in child welfare play a crucial role in safeguarding SEGA students. With over four years of experience at SOS Children’s Village and Plan International Tanzania, Suzan has a strong background in creating safe environments for children. Since joining SEGA in August 2023, she has worked to ensure that students are protected, supported, and empowered to focus on their education. This post explores Suzan's role, her positive impact on students' lives, and her vision for enhancing SEGA’s child protection system.

The Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program (HNMCP) recently completed a 12-week project to design a culturally responsive negotiation curriculum for SEGA Girls’ School in Tanzania. Led by Professor Rachel Viscomi and her team, the project involved focus groups, alumni surveys, and teacher interviews to understand SEGA students' cultural context and challenges. The team developed a curriculum that emphasized assertiveness, empathy, and decision-making, piloted with Form 3 students. Graduate students Arianne Evans, Salome Van Bunnen, and Jean Luc Nsabimana reflect on their experiences and contributions to this impactful program.

From July 5th to July 12th, 2024, USTAWI Global embarked on a transformative journey to SEGA. This visit was not just a trip but a deep dive into the heart of collaborative and innovative education. Led by Nick Salmon and Kavita Tanna, the visionary co-founders of the USTAWI Movement, Collaborative Learning Network, and Globally Reconnect, a team of six passionate educators and leaders gathered to explore and develop Flourishing Learning Communities.

Lavyana reflects on her second year volunteering with the STEM Adventures at SEGA Program. In June, she returned to Morogoro, Tanzania, to volunteer again with the team. Much like the previous year, her week with the girls was incredibly enriching, filled with laughter and learning.

The STEM program transitioned from traditional lessons to a project-based learning (PBL) approach this year. The students collaborated on a significant group project centered around the driving question: “How can students collaborate to identify how technology can be utilized to address agricultural challenges exacerbated by weather and climate change?”

Meet Debora and Ester, the first SEGA graduates and among the first ten Tanzanians accepted to Ashesi University in Ghana. Named a top-ten university on the African continent last year, Ashesi was founded to foster an African renaissance through ethical and entrepreneurial leadership. Their journey highlights Ashesi's commitment to nurturing transformative leaders who drive positive change in their communities and beyond. These two determined young women from the SEGA Girls’ School share a passion for academic excellence, ethical leadership, and community development—deeply ingrained in their time at SEGA.

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Day, celebrated on June 27th, highlights businesses' critical role in economic development. Entrepreneurship is a valuable skill, particularly for SEGA students, as it offers a pathway to financial independence and stability. In Tanzania, where wages are often low, many individuals seek to supplement their income through small businesses. With good planning and financial understanding, these ventures can lead to higher profit margins, making entrepreneurship a crucial skill set.

June 11th marks the inaugural "International Day of Play" a significant milestone in preserving, promoting, and prioritizing play. This day emphasizes the importance of play for all people, especially children, enabling them to thrive and reach their full potential. Maya Mor, the founder of Girls Run Global, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering girls through running, shares her experiences in this blog. She recounts her visit to SEGA Girls' School and the first-time collaboration of Girls Run Global with the SEGA Girls.

Jodi Morris, a SEGA scholarship supporter serves on the Investment Committee, cultivates new donors, and regularly brings visitors to Tanzania, including a stay at SEGA.

In this blog, she reflects on her time in Bali for a conference for U-GO. It was a journey intertwined with her passion for girls' education, which she believes is the world's best investment. 

As we celebrate Mother's Day, we're thrilled to introduce heartwarming narratives of kindness and sisterhood experienced while volunteering at the SEGA Girls' School. Over the past few years, we've witnessed mother-daughter duos volunteer at SEGA through our service-learning initiatives. Among them are the extraordinary experiences of Zakia and Zayda, Irene and Nicole, and Katie and Sarah, who volunteered with us for the STEM Adventures at SEGA and English Fluency Programs. We are happy to share their tales of volunteering and the joy of giving back at the SEGA Girls’ School!

Levi Lowney, a student at Babson College, wrote this blog highlighting the collaboration and the workshop's transformative impact on SEGA's entrepreneurship education.

In January 2024, Babson College students partnered with SEGA to enhance their entrepreneurship program for Tanzanian girls using the Entrepreneurial Thought & Action™ methodology. Since 2022, Babson has supported SEGA with online courses, and this recent workshop focused on innovative business and community value creation.

Michael Corio, a Board Member of Nurturing Minds, participated in the English Fluency Program at SEGA last year. In this blog post, he details his experience and reflects on the profound impact it had on him.

Visiting the SEGA Girls’ Secondary School for the first time as part of the English Fluency Program was an experience I’ll never forget. As a first-timer to the beautiful country of Tanzania and with my own school days in the rearview mirror, I didn’t know what to expect. 

Thanks to the generosity of two wonderful supporters in California, two SEGA graduates, Maria and Victoria, and SEGA’s Board Chair, Hellen Nkalang’ango, could visit the United States for two weeks earlier this month.

The journey began with Hellen and Maria, a second-year Architecture student at a university in Dar es Salaam, arriving in Boston to chilly weather! Despite the cold, they explored various sites, including the New England Aquarium and iconic Boston landmarks like Trinity Church and The Boston Common. They also had the chance to meet with Boston-based supporters, including Someone Else’s Child, a foundation aiding SEGA in accommodating three girls with Spina Bifida on SEGA’s campus, and our partners at Harvard Law School’s Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program, who are developing a specialized curriculum for SEGA focused on negotiation skills.

The SEGA Graduate Business Development Program was started in 2022 to support SEGA Girls’ School and Modern Girl Program graduates. This initiative provides additional entrepreneurship training and small loans to ensure the profitability and self-sustainability of diverse business ventures for these Tanzanian girls and women who confront significant financial and social obstacles, including sexual harassment and exploitation.

Anna exemplifies the Modern Girl Program graduate who benefited directly from the SEGA Graduate Business Development Fund. She is a 25-year-old who lives in the Morogoro region in Tanzania.

Bryan Ware, an actuary within the US property/casualty insurance industry, resides in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with his wife, Ginger, and their two adult children. Yet, Bryan's impact stretches far beyond his profession. His commitment to improving the lives of women and girls, particularly in East Africa, sets him apart.

Claudia Furcola Stemler is a birth, postpartum, and bereavement doula from Philadelphia and a single mother of three adult sons. Since 2018, Claudia has supported three children in Kenya. She has actively engaged in the Ngong community, collaborating with local social workers, assisting schools, and building relationships with educators, parents, and children.

We are excited to share that SEGA is adding to its innovative education tool kit by adopting e-learning materials! Recently, the educational landscape at SEGA has undergone a significant transformation, including tablets as a teaching tool for students.

Meet Zayda Greene, a second-year business administration major from Baltimore, Maryland, currently making waves at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). Zayda's journey with SEGA began during high school when she supported a girl's education. This connection led her to an enriching experience in the summer of 2022, where Zayda, accompanied by her family, engaged in teaching STEM subjects at SEGA. This collective effort fostered a deep appreciation for the school's impact on its students.

2023 marks the 15th Anniversary of Nurturing Minds and SEGA! One of the ways we are celebrating this important milestone is through a monthly blog series titled “SEGA is the Solution”.

Young girls are most heavily impacted by lack of education, poverty and climate change. A striking body of evidence demonstrates that organizations like Nurturing Minds and SEGA are the solution to break the cycle of poverty, create prosperity and combat climate change. Each month we will be spotlighting one of SEGA’s graduates so you can see the impact that SEGA’s holistic approach to education has had on their lives.

Two Form 3 SEGA Girls’ School Students, Nurath & Nailat, were selected to participate in the 2023 FIRST Global Challenge in Singapore this past October as members of Team Tanzania. We are excited for you to hear directly from them as they describe their experience taking part in this exciting opportunity.

2023 marks the 15th Anniversary of Nurturing Minds and SEGA! One of the ways we are celebrating this important milestone is through a monthly blog series titled “SEGA is the Solution”.

Young girls are most heavily impacted by lack of education, poverty and climate change. A striking body of evidence demonstrates that organizations like Nurturing Minds and SEGA are the solution to break the cycle of poverty, create prosperity and combat climate change. Each month we will be spotlighting one of SEGA’s graduates so you can see the impact that SEGA’s holistic approach to education has had on their lives.

October 7th was a day of celebration at the SEGA Girls’ School. It was a momentous occasion as SEGA's 11th graduating class took center stage for the day. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the presence of families, students, dedicated SEGA staff, passionate SEGA supporters, enthusiastic English Fluency Program Volunteers, and, most importantly, the Form 4 Graduates who were the stars of the day.

2023 marks the 15th Anniversary of Nurturing Minds and SEGA! One of the ways we are celebrating this important milestone is through a monthly blog series titled “SEGA is the Solution”.

Young girls are most heavily impacted by lack of education, poverty and climate change. A striking body of evidence demonstrates that organizations like Nurturing Minds and SEGA are the solution to break the cycle of poverty, create prosperity and combat climate change. Each month we will be spotlighting one of SEGA’s graduates so you can see the impact that SEGA’s holistic approach to education has had on their lives.

This summer, I visited SEGA and was part of the STEM Adventures at SEGA program. This was my first time visiting the school, and I can confidently say that this week was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. 

This week, on September 18-19th, 2023, the United Nations (UN) will gather at its headquarters in New York for the General Assembly high-level week. This event marks a significant milestone in the journey toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nurturing Minds and SEGA contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by providing numerous educational programs that foster the growth, well-being, and potential of young Tanzanian women from low-income backgrounds.

2023 marks the 15th Anniversary of Nurturing Minds and SEGA! One of the ways we are celebrating this important milestone is through a monthly blog series titled “SEGA is the Solution”.

Young girls are most heavily impacted by lack of education, poverty and climate change. A striking body of evidence demonstrates that organizations like Nurturing Minds and SEGA are the solution to break the cycle of poverty, create prosperity and combat climate change. Each month we will be spotlighting one of SEGA’s graduates so you can see the impact that SEGA’s holistic approach to education has had on their lives.

I recently returned from my annual trip to SEGA and wanted to share a few highlights. There is always so much going on there; this visit was no exception.

Nurturing Minds is excited to announce our new initiative to become a climate-progressive organization that recognizes the importance of sustainable practices in today’s world. We recognize the intersection between climate change, social justice, gender equality, and education. This is incredibly important to Nurturing Minds because women and girls are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, and education is a key factor in helping them to adapt and to build resilience to these impacts.