I'll Find Myself at SEGA Again - Peace Corps Volunteer or Not

On March 15, the Peace Corps made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend all operations globally and evacuate all volunteers from their host countries due to the continued spread of COVID-19. As international travel became more and more challenging, they acted to safeguard the well-being of their volunteers and to prevent a situation where volunteers were unable to leave their host countries. The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the United States to work with communities and create lasting change.

We are excited to share the message below from Maggie about her time at SEGA.

Maggie with some of the students at SEGA

As a Peace Corps volunteer, I didn’t know where my 2-year home was going to be until the day before I visited SEGA for the first time. On the seven-hour bus ride from Korogwe (my training town) to Morogoro, I was anxious to see what I had gotten myself into. At the time, I had no idea how exceptional my site was! Now that I have recently returned home, I know how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to teach English and biology in a learning environment where girls are fostered to be passionate about their future, encouraged to ask questions, and taught to be confident young women.

What I appreciated most about teaching at SEGA was how frank and assertive the girls are. They told me when I spoke too quickly, when they didn’t understand something, and they asked bold and critical questions (even during the reproduction chapter!). The little experience that I have had in the country makes me think this is a rarity in Tanzania, which makes me all the more appreciative of the uniqueness of SEGA. I’m excited to watch these girls grow and use these traits to become effective and just leaders.

My time at the school was filled with many wonderful moments. From students knocking on my door to show me a frog they found (they knew frogs are my favorite animal), to making play dough bacteria together during biology review hours, to them writing heartfelt goodbye letters to me after hearing I was leaving. We sang together, watched movies together, and learned from each other.

My time at SEGA has been cut short for now, but I am not ready to leave forever. I know I’ll find myself at SEGA again, Peace Corps volunteer or not.

Using play dough to teach about bacteria during SEGA’s biology review hours.