Celebrating SEGA & Nurturing Minds Volunteers

Meet Susan Schneider – Peace Corps Volunteer at SEGA

In honor of National Volunteer Week, April 23-29, we are celebrating one of SEGA’s volunteers – Susan Schneider! SEGA recently welcomed Susan Schneider, a Peace Corps volunteer, to the school’s team. Originally from Chicago, Susan has a background in teaching and corporate marketing. Throughout her life, and across her career, Susan’s lifelong passion has always been working with children. Susan says, “Whether as a school teacher, directing Denny’s Save the Children fundraising program or adopting my daughter from a Romanian orphanage when she was three years old, I believe all children have the inherent right to love, a home, health care, and an education. I do whatever I can to support that. “

Susan wanted to join the Peace Corps since she was 11 years old. Now that her lifelong dream is realized, Susan is making a significant difference at SEGA. Susan’s primary responsibility is teaching English to Standard 7 and Form 1 students. In addition to teaching, Susan is spearheading three projects. First, Susan is the Marketing Advisor to help promote SEGA’s 6-room guest house to travelers. Susan has also started SEGA’s Newsletter Club in order to provide a writing outlet, enrich students’ English literacy and enhance campus-wide communication. Lastly, Susan is helping to resurrect a beekeeping project to help raise funds for the school.

Susan has many goals and hopes for her students but when asked what her primary focus is while at SEGA, Susan says, “Most importantly, I would like to make a long-lasting impact on my students’ ability to speak English so that they pass national exams and eventually enter university level in greater numbers”.

Like all influential volunteer programs, while Susan is teaching SEGA students valuable English skills, our students are also teaching our volunteers important life lesson. Susan recounted a story of how a number of students recently pitched in to help move a car that had become stuck in deep mud after a heavy rain. Susan says, “It took two hours, three men, four hardwood boards, a tire jack and six students to get the car out of the mud and back on the road. What amazed me was the girls’ spirit. They didn’t think twice when they were asked to help. They just took off their shoes and did what was necessary. In the process, they became mud-splattered but never complained. Their spirit of teamwork, ‘one for all and all for one,’ is something from which more people could benefit…Despite their hardship backgrounds, they are the most loving, kind, hard-working young people I have ever been around”.

Thank you Susan, and all of our volunteers , for the incredible work you do for SEGA and Nurturing Minds – we wouldn’t be the same organization without you!