Empowering Journeys: SEGA's Spring 2024 Visit to the United States

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.

After Boston, we ventured to Connecticut, where we visited a Journalism Class at Staples High School in Westport, a new school partner, and admired the impressive Maker Space at Greenwich Country Day Middle School. SEGA plans to establish a multi-use Maker Space in the coming years, enriching the school with art, music, and technology. Next, we headed to New York City, where the highlight for Hellen was the 9/11 Memorial, and Maria indulged her passion for architecture at the Guggenheim Museum. In Philadelphia, Victoria joined the group after overcoming visa hurdles in Tanzania.

Our journey continued to San Francisco, where we honored and celebrated the life of our beloved board member, Angela McManus, who passed away unexpectedly last November. Maria and Victoria paid tribute to Angela with a heartfelt song, highlighting her invaluable contributions to Nurturing Minds and SEGA. During our time in San Francisco, we also hosted a webinar in honor of International Women’s Day. Maria and Victoria shared their inspiring journeys from challenging home circumstances to becoming university scholars actively contributing to their communities. Maria explains, “Travel gives people new perspectives, even a paradigm shift, and lets us meet great people and opportunities along the way.”

Finally, we concluded our trip with a visit to State College, PA, for another gathering. We extend our thanks to all those who hosted us and organized gatherings along the way in Boston, Connecticut, New York, San Francisco, and Pennsylvania.