When Luiza Souza stepped off the plane in Tanzania, she expected an unfamiliar country.
What she didn’t expect was the warm welcome she received.

Local music, dancing, and joy filled the arrival hall, an energy that would define her next two weeks volunteering at the SEGA Girls’ School, a partner of Nurturing Minds, and a boarding school designed to give Tanzanian girls from vulnerable backgrounds not just an education, but safety, mentorship, and the confidence to pursue futures they once thought impossible.

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This past October, something extraordinary happened: a SEGA student stepped onto one of the world’s biggest STEM stages, representing not only her school, but her entire country of Tanzania.

Vivian, a Form Three student at the SEGA Girls’ School, traveled to Panama City to compete in the 2025 FIRST Global Challenge—an international Olympic-style robotics competition that brings together young innovators from more than 190 countries.

For many young people around the world, robotics still feels abstract. For many girls, especially in Sub-Saharan African communities with limited exposure to STEM, it can feel entirely out of reach. Vivian is helping to change that. And so is SEGA Girls’ School.

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For girls born with disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa, the barriers are even greater. Poverty, gender inequality, and lack of access to assistive devices combine to create a cycle of exclusion that begins early and is hard to break. These are not only statistics; they are stories of quieted voices, and untapped potential. Because behind every figure is a child with a dream. A girl like Faraja, who aspires to be an auditor; Debora and Upendo, who dream of becoming accountants; Anna, who dreams of becoming president.

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Nestled at the base of the stunning Uluguru Mountains in Morogoro, Tanzania, lies a place quietly sparking a revolution – one educated girl at a time. Secondary Education for Girls’ Advancement (SEGA) is not just a school. It’s a launching pad for possibility, a sanctuary for resilience, and a model for how to create lasting change.

More than classrooms and a dormitory, SEGA Girls’ School is a sanctuary of laughter echoing from the cafeteria, of songs and dances offered in welcome, of cheers rising from the sports field under the hot afternoon sun. To walk onto campus is to feel the rare alchemy of joy and safety woven together, a space where girls are free to learn, to lead, to play and to simply be.

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In today’s world, where global campaigns continue to call for gender equity in STEM, the face of science still too often excludes women—especially Black women.

But last month, at the SEGA Girls’ School, something extraordinary happened. SEGA students met not one, but two black women scientists: Dr. Zakia Williams-Greene and Bre, whose very presence became a glimpse of futures yet imagined.

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They say the body keeps score—every experience, every moment, quietly stored away until something brings it back to life. A scent. A sound. A building.

For Audrey, it was the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Driving by that building during a family trip, a flood of memories returned: the penny war fundraiser in her fourth-grade classroom, the jars lined up by the whiteboard, the friendly competition that masked something deeper. She remembered the fun—but also the disbelief she felt, even then, that girls somewhere in the world were facing unimaginable barriers just to attend school.

That memory—dormant but never forgotten—planted the seed for something bigger: a desire to act, to give back, to be part of the solution.

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This Mother’s Day, we honor Subira—and women like her, whose courage to dream beyond their circumstances is now shaping the futures of their daughters, alongside institutions like SEGA and Nurturing Minds that make those dreams possible.

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According to the UN, Girls and women—particularly those living in low- and middle-income countries—are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. In many rural communities, girls are responsible for collecting water, gathering firewood, and securing food for their families—tasks made increasingly difficult by droughts, flooding, and environmental degradation.

Yet, even as girls bear the brunt of the climate crisis, they are also among the most powerful agents of change—if given the chance.

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The decision to volunteer at SEGA was both exhilarating and terrifying. Kathleen had never traveled alone, never been to Africa—and just two days before her flight, she found herself wondering, “What am I doing?” But something deeper told her this was the right step.

This Volunteer Appreciation Month, we’re honored to celebrate volunteers like Kathleen—not just for the impact they have at SEGA, but also because of what their journeys reveal: that saying yes, even when it scares you, can unlock a life of deeper meaning.

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In a world increasingly shaped by conflict—across politics, generations, classrooms, and even dinner tables—the ability to navigate disagreement and find common ground is no longer optional. It is essential. At Nurturing Minds and SEGA, we believe negotiation is not just a skill but a fundamental right that every girl must hold, especially young girls in Tanzania whose voices have historically gone unheard. For them, negotiation isn't just about striking a deal—it’s about asserting their worth, advocating for their education, and shaping their future.

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