1.  Is this School Tanzanian, or American?
Nurturing Minds is supporting a Tanzanian organization (SEGA) to develop a Tanzanian secondary school where, as a part of day-to-day life, Tanzanian culture is embraced and celebrated.  For example, most permanent teaching staff areTanzanian; the kitchen produces Tanzanian foods; and sports and recreation activities popular in Tanzania such as Netball are offered. The school curriculum is based on the national curriculum. Girls will learn about the political system of Tanzania, and how to engage in democratic participation processes within this context.

Nevertheless, the Sega Girls School will benefit from American (and others) ideas, systems and culture in the following ways:

• Teaching methods that acknowledge diverse student needs, emphasize thinking skills and problem solving approaches rather than memorization, and utilize internet technology to broaden student research opportunities and skills.
• Emphasis on integrative and holistic education, which nurtures development of self-confidence, relationships, decision-making and life skills.
• Teacher training in participatory learning methodologies, and development of additional curriculum modules with assistance from American Teachers Trainers and graduate students
• Periodic special short-term academic, arts and recreation programs facilitated by visiting American volunteers.

2) What may a Sega School graduate do?
Secondary education opens the door for a girl to continue developing herself and her opportunities and enter into a career of her choice.  Without secondary education, this door is almost closed.
A Sega Girls School graduate can:

• Start and run her own business (tailoring, running a medium-sized shop, poultry, agricultural or other enterprises)
• Engage in civic processes, advocating for civil rights with an educated voice
• Make informed decisions regarding marriage, child-bearing, caring for her family, resource allocation within the household, and many other important decisions affecting her life
• Use a computer and the internet with proficiency
• Be eligible to attend university and colleges for teaching, medicine, community development, social work, engineering, etc;
• Be aware of and pursue opportunities for further education, training and self-development (scholarships, financial aid offered through embassies, development agencies)

3) How can I be assured my donation is going directly to helping girls?
All of the funds Nurturing Minds raises goes directly to support the development and running of the Sega Girls School and associated girls’ education programs (e.g. scholarship support for poor girls, and running of the "Tunarudi Shuleni" Day Program for out-of-school girls).  In addition to regular monitoring through financial and narrative reporting and annual audits of its Tanzanian partner organization SEGA, the Founder of Nurturing Minds sits on the SEGA board and provides close support and monitoring to all of SEGA’s activities.  All of Nurturing Minds’ board members are unpaid, and the organization has no paid staff.  The SEGA Executive Director (the Founder of Nurturing Minds) is also an unpaid volunteer.

4) Do you have local support for the school?
The Sega School is being developed by a group of Tanzanians and one American.  All serve on the board voluntarily without pay and spend significant time and energy towards development of the school. Tanzanians generally, those within government at Ministerial and local (district) levels, and those in Morogoro have expressed enthusiasm about the school’s development. Examples of active local support are:

• Donation of 7 acres land by a Tanzanian family neighboring SEGA’s existing land.
• Participation of the village Chairman on the Selection Committee for girls to attend SEGA’s  non-formal education program.
• Nominations of girls to attend by local community leaders and attendance at meetings about the school by a broad range of community members interested in their children’s future.
• Loan of a classroom from the local primary school to run our Day Program in while construction at our site is underway

5) How does the Sega School fit with National Priorities and Tanzanian plans to improve education in their country?
Nurturing Minds and SEGA seek to contribute to and support the efforts of the government to improve secondary education access and quality for Tanzanian children.  The Government of Tanzania has recently decided to put more concerted effort on secondary education, in recognition of the huge gap in services at this level. Its national plan for growth and reduction of poverty, the basis for all poverty alleviation programming in the country, has several important references to education. See Excerpts from the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty

6) Why support education in Tanzania when much of our own educational system is failing our own students?
Nurturing Minds is founded by an American, Polly Dolan, who lives in Tanzania and has worked in humanitarian relief and environmental conservation over the last twelve years. Polly is in a unique position to implement this project because of her experience, Tanzanian network, and presence within Tanzania as she donates her  time, skills and seed money to the project.  The US Board of Nurturing Minds believes that by raising awareness about Africa and encouraging Americans and others to get involved with the Sega School, and possibly even travel to Africa, Nurturing Minds is playing an important role in helping individuals in the United States to become part of the solution to poverty and social injustice in developing nations. In light of our present global concerns for energy conservation, food availability, peace and stability, etc; combined with our ability to readily connect to any corner of the world via the Internet, the time is ripe for more global unity, and for all of us to recognize and take action on global issues.