November 30, 2024 • 27 mins
Laura DeDominicis, Executive Director of Nurturing Minds and Elina Green (Casabagge), an award-winning student at Sega Girls School in Tanzania, speak warmly and dispassionately about the challenges that young women face in Tanzania and the mission of Nurturing Minds and Sega Girls School to support quality education and leadership skills to help at-risk girls in Tanzania become leaders in their communities.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome back to What's at Risk. I'm Mike Christian. Elena
Green grew up in Moragoro, Tanzania. When she was in
primary school, her parents got divorced and her mother struggled
to support Elena, her older sister, and her younger brother,
who has a serious health condition. Her mom was farming
(00:26):
near the Sega Girls School campus and asked one of
the Massai guards what is this beautiful school. When he
shared that it was for girls from at risk backgrounds,
she could hardly believe it. She brought Elena to the
front gate. The next day, Elena formally applied and was
admitted to Sega. After Elena completed her ordinary level secondary
(00:49):
education at Sega, she became a Unite Scholar and received
a scholarship for her advanced level secondary education. She was
subsequently selected as a Yale Young African Scholar, which supports
African youth wishing to pursue university degrees. After completing her
A level degree, she was accepted as a Yale Young
(01:11):
Global Scholar. She is currently studying for a bachelor's degree
in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Engineering. Laudad Diminisius is the
executive director of Nurturing Minds, an organization dedicated to supporting
quality education, life skills, and entrepreneurship to help at risk
(01:33):
girls in Tanzania become leaders in their communities. She is
dedicated to creating a financially sustainable institution. Lauda has an
extensive thirty year background in poverty alleviation, working with both
startups and long established organizations that improve livelihoods in the
developing world and in the United States on issues including homelessness,
(01:57):
wildlife conservation, and girls at education. Laura has a master's
degree in international affairs from Columbia University School of International
and Public Affairs. Our guests today are louder De Diminiicus
and Elena Casabaje of Nurturing Minds and Sega Girls' School.
(02:21):
How are you both doing today?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Great, It's great to be here. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Nice to have you both. Maybe a good place to
start would be for both of you to tell tell
us about your background and so our listeners know who
you are and what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Okay, you want to start?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Elena, Yes, sure, Okay, Hi everyone. My name is Elena.
I am Chance two years old and I am Sega
School graduate of the class of tens two and currently
I am Doma, Tanzania, where I am a university student
(02:56):
at the University of Udoma. I am so happy to
be in this part podcast today and I'm so happy
to talk to you and share a lot about myself
and about Segel Secondary and.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I am loud to day diminishus. I'm the executive director
of Nurturing Minds and I have been in this role
for about ten years, but I've been involved previous to that,
really since the beginning, which is sixteen years in other
ways as a board member and essentially a volunteer, and
(03:28):
I live right in the in the Boston area.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Well, it's really nice to have both of you here
with us today. Thank you, Ludo. Nursing Minds is dedicated
to supporting quality education, life skills and entrepreneurship to girls
in Tanzania. What was the inspiration to start both Nurturing
Minds and Sega Girls' School in Tanzania?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
So when we started sixteen years ago, our co founders
found that there really were not enough secondary schools and
at the time, secondary school was a paid system, meaning
that it was not sort of public in the way
we think about public education, which meant that kids who
were coming from vulnerable or low income backgrounds were dropping
(04:13):
out of school at very high rates because they couldn't
afford to go to high school. And in particular, girls
were dropping out at much higher rates because if a
family could afford to pay for one child to go
to school, then they would be more likely to pay
for a son to go to school. So there was
a lot of girls dropping out and suffering the pitfalls
(04:37):
of being out of school, which of course include early
marriage and early pregnancy. And so that was really the
impetus behind starting a quality holistic education program which started
with the Sega Girls School.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And when did it start in who was the founder
for it later?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
So it started in two thousand and eight and they
both were started essentially at the same time. So in
the United States, Nursering Minds was co founded by two sisters,
Polly and Tracy Dolan, and Polly had been living and
working in Tanzania for many, many years, so she co
(05:17):
founded Sega with her Tanzanian colleague Blastis Muserubi and.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Lauda what what's life like for the young women in Tanzania?
Just on a sort of a day to day basis.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
In Tanzania, like in most of the African countries, women
are not usual to go to higher level for education,
even in the rural Alias your friend, young girls ending
up in prema school which is start at seven and
then maybe would get married or do at a job.
(05:54):
Some of them they are being taken as house girls
to abandon areas like house made to work for other people.
And the emphasis of education has not always been really
like really had better like other countries around the world.
(06:14):
So I feel like Sega stepped out and really helped
a lot of us other young girls across the villages
across Tanzania to make sure that they go to a
higher level of education and pursue their dreams. Because when
you're educated girl, you educate the whole community, and education
(06:36):
is really important for African women and Tanzania.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Helena, you you grew up near Sega School, didn't you
as a child?
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Yes? I did? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:45):
And what was what was your childhood like before you
went to Sega School? What was life like for you?
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Okay? So I was born in a femal of three
children with my elder sister and my younger brother, and
I remember when I was in primary school, was a
bit far from where the school was, so I always
went to school with the bicycle and sometimes even my
(07:13):
mother remember, she used to tell me, you just have
to keep on going to school. Although it's fine, you're
going to big school. And sometimes you wake up heard
in the morning, you prepare to go to school, you're
not sure if your parents is going to give you
the money for you know, lands or breakfast. You just
have to go to school and then you hope when
you come back you'll get food. So it was always
(07:36):
kind of hard, but I was working hard. And when
you're named like a bride student, my mom used to
tell me, we hope you go to a boarding school,
like the government to choose you to go to a
boarding school in secondary school and it will be better
for you to avoid these hardships. Yes, and I remember
(07:58):
there was this time that my mother troubled with my
brother so India for his treatment, and I was at
all alone with my father, just at home, and it
was really hard for me, coming back from school very
late in the evening, going to the kitchen to cook
for me and my dad. It was really hard. But
(08:21):
when I get to sega in for money, it was
a life changing experience for me. So it was really nice.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And I think I saw that your mother got you
into the Sega Girls' School. How did she end up
doing that?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
My mom did not succeed to go to secondary school
when she was young, so after she graduated from primary school,
she went to training. It was mainly about food trainee.
She was told how to cook. So although when we
were living at home, she was just working back at
home as a farmer as a housewife. When I got
(09:02):
teachers to go to Sega, she was able to show
that she's qualified for cookie and she got did you.
But also her getting and job really helped me and
my female especially with my younger brother who who has
medical care experienses and we were not able to afford
(09:23):
most of which because we do not even have the
health insurance. So her getting enrolled to work at SAGE
being a life changing experience for me and my family
and all of us.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Ladi, you you alluded to this, I think, But what
is the relationship between Sega School and Nurturing Minds.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
We are partners essentially, So Nurturing Minds is the nonprofit
on the US side really charged with raising funds and
awareness and providing some technical assistance to our partner SEGA
and SEGA is an acronym which stills for Secondary Education
for Girls Advancement, and they are actually their own nonprofit,
(10:07):
their own Tanzanian NGO, So they have their own board
of directors and they have their seventy staff which oversees
and runs actually four programs and serves twenty five hundred
adolescent girls and young women across the country. So the
SEGA Girls School is sort of the flagship and initial
(10:29):
program that has about two hundred and eighty girls. But
then there's a big community outreach program they run called
Modern Girl that reaches two thousand girls and young women
in thirty villages. And we have a continuing education scholarship
fund and career development program. And then they also run
a small revolving loan program and ongoing business development skills.
(10:53):
So SEGA, the Tanzanian entity, essentially runs all of the
programs on the ground.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Yeah, you mentioned the loan fund. Is that to encourage
the entrepreneurship aspect of what's taught at the school?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Yes, absolutely, So in Form three the girls learn various
aspects of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, some product development, and that
is also taught as part of that community outreach program.
So some of the girls and then essentially young women
once they are finished with school or if they're from
(11:28):
the community from that Modern Girl program, if they're graduates
and they have started a business and they want they
need capital to grow that business, but ongoing business skills,
they can apply for a loan. This is a rather
new it's only three years old and smaller program, so
(11:48):
it was in the pilot stage and now it's serving
about sixty young women.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
And is it typical for young women to start businesses
in that part of Tanzania?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Absolutely? I think that, you know, wages tend to be
quite low, and so a lot of Tanzanians, even if
they have a formalized job, might also have a small business.
But the other reality is that, you know, the the
job market is tough and also women face a lot
of harassment, sexual harassment when they go into the workforce.
(12:20):
So it's rather appealing to also start your own business
as a way to be self sufficient.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
And Elena, I think I read where you won the
best English award at the Sega graduation. What was that?
What was the obviously for speaking English but in English fluency,
But how was, How was that determined and how did
you feel about winning the award that seems pretty prestigious.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
When I was in primary school, I thought English was
one of the hardest language he on it, and I
thought to myself, if I was able, when they're going
to speak English. So all I was doing is just
studied the language so that you can answer it in
my you know, my exams and past But when I
(13:08):
joined Saga School, I started perform one and I met
people for the English program, and I thought to myself,
oh my god, look at these people speaking English and
I don't even know where to start. It was really
hard for me at first, but they were so they
just were so supportive and they really wanted to help
(13:31):
me learn along with my fellow students. And then at
Saga there is a library where you can read books,
and I started reading books, and I even wanted myself
how English became one of the most easiest and I
really used to understand like a teacher would ask ask
(13:53):
a question and I would just know the answer and
for publan answer it. So it was really lef changing
experience for me again because I got to understand English
and Latin. I wonder a word at the best performing
students in English subjects at Sega.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Yeah, that's great. What's the native language? What language did
you grow up speaking in Tanzania.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
I grew up speaking Swahili.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
What other subjects did you did you study it at
Sega besides English?
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Okay? In Tanzania with the national curriculum, there are type
of subjects that you can take according to what you
want to study. So there is at subjects, there is
business subjects, and there is science subjects. So I took
science subjects which had involved mathematics, geography, chemistry, biology and
(14:50):
other core subjects like civics, Kiswahili and English.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
What about life skills because I know nurturing mind. Talk
about life skills, which is something you know a little different,
a little different than just the reading, writing, and arithmetic
that we learned in school. What were those skills and
what was that like and how they helped you since
you left the school?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Okay? So first, I think what really differentiates Sega School
from a lot of schools in Tanzania is how they
teach life skills, what they teach outside classes. You know,
they don't only prepare you to excel in your academics,
but they also prepare you to, you know, how to
(15:34):
navigate through lives. I remember when I went to SEGA,
I was not even able to stand in front of
my classmates and speak. It was really hard for me.
But we had life skills sessions and they were teaching
us how to be confident, how to speak out for yourself,
you know, the skills that you need for communication, how
(15:54):
to live with others, for you know, personal affirmations, and
a lot more about our career choices. You may find
a person who is very qualified in his maybe in
his academic qualifications, but they lack communication skills, They lack confidence,
they are not able to present themselves well. And when
(16:17):
you're coming to employers today's world, it's really important that
you have those skills to present yourself well in front
of us. So I think SEGA released to that in
that and it has really built me to a person
that I am today.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Well, you clearly picked up on all those skills in
a meaningful way.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Congratulations And if I could add to that, they also
teach reproductive health as part of those classes, which is
something that is not part of the Tanzanian curriculum. So
it's one of the ways in which SEGA adds value
to the curriculum in addition to the entrepreneurship, but through
those life skills that are things they're not getting in
(16:57):
their regular in a public high school.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Lot of How often do you go to Tanzania?
Speaker 2 (17:02):
I go about once a year for a couple of weeks,
you know. Usually Now with Zoom, of course, I can
meet with my Counterpartlane and Mondoloma every week, so that
makes things easier. But I usually go to meet new
staff and see programs, and see new programs and just
(17:24):
get to connect with the staff and board members.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
I saw that you were selected as both a Yale
Young African Scholar and then accept it as a Yale
Young Global Scholar. What do those means? Sounds pretty impressive
to me and how have they helped you.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Yale University has two of the programs, the first one
which is Yale Young African Schools, which is an academic
enrichment program. They take students from fifty four countries of Africa,
trained them about different lessons, including also how to apply
to universities inside and outside Africa, but also to discuss
(18:05):
some of the most challenging issues in the continent. And
you know, come up with solutions, you know, and connecting
other young Africas. But also they have another program which
is called YELLO Young Global Scholars Program which they connect
all scholars, all young people from across the globe, from
different countries in the world, and they also train you.
(18:28):
They have science sessions, they have at sessions, they have
business sessions. So I always like to get selected to
both of the programs.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
I also read that you met with Michelle Obama. That
sounds pretty impressive. Everything you do sounds pretty impressive. Frankly,
tell us about Michelle Obama.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Okay, so as Madam Lara said that got the opportunity
to go to the United States for their Students' Cultural
Exchange and my colleague and I were lucky to attend
this Michell Obama's lunching events she was launching. These program
is called get Her There Under there were girls opportunity
(19:12):
lands and when we attended, we were able to you know,
meet with other other women like amaal Cuny, Melinda French Gates,
a lot of them, and it was really amazing because
you get to meet with these women across the world
who are advocating, who are you know, fighting for girls
(19:34):
education and they were really happy. We talked to them,
connected to some of them. You know, it was really
amazing experience and we are really happy for this well.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Which division for Nurturing Minds and SEGA school out into
the future. You've accomplished so much and continue to grow.
What's what are the next steps?
Speaker 2 (19:58):
So in terms of the school, so the school sits
on thirty acres of land and it was built really
very much thanks to the American people, and we have
now gotten four grants from USAID asha American schools and
hospitals abroad. So with this most recent grant, which we
(20:18):
got about a year ago, we'll be building an additional dormitory,
a biology lab, a wall for security around the school.
In terms of our programs overall, with the girls doing
so much better academically in recent years, I think maybe
(20:39):
starting with Alina's program our year, because of our English
fluency program, nearly one hundred percent of the girls after
they graduate go on to some level of higher education,
with seventy percent going onto university. And that is compared
to three percent in the country overall. And that's girls
(21:01):
or boys, or men or women.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
So that's a.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Big growing program. We currently have two hundred and seventy
girls in that program of continuing education, so that's a
growing scholarship fund, of course, but also as part of that,
the girls get ongoing career development skills and we're now
connecting them with internships more and more so that they
(21:27):
can get on the job training and real develop real
skills for better job placement. And so that is one
of the things that has grown a lot.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
And Lata, what about volunteers. I know that you do
encourage volunteers, and people come from all over and volunteer.
Tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
We love volunteers at Nurturing Minds and at SEGA. So
sometimes we have volunteers in the US who might do
something like host a gathering, a friend raiser, or actually
host a fundraiser, and so that's always appreciated and really important.
But we have a lot of volunteers that go over
to SEGA every year, and we have two organized programs.
(22:12):
One is a STEM program that happens now in June
each year, and so we're actually if there's people interested
in going over in June of twenty twenty five, where
we're looking for volunteers now and we have a group
of SEGA graduates like Elena was at the last at
(22:32):
the Last STEM program where we're really teaching the youngest
kids to Form one kids all about STEM subjects, making
it fun and interactive, doing experiments to encourage more girls
and young women to go into STEM subjects like Elena has.
And then in the fall we have an English fluency program,
(22:54):
which Elena also had attended as a student. And so
we just had about eighteen foreign volunteers, mostly Americans, who
were there at the school for two weeks teaching English
to the incoming students, so we call them pre form
but after they finish primary school, they come to us
for about three months to learn English because they have
(23:17):
been learning in primary school in Swahili, and then the
medium of instruction changes to English, so they're being able
to get that intensive English instruction prior to starting high
school is really important and it's just it's a really
fun program as well. It's sort of like an English
boot camp that a lot of the volunteers love because
(23:40):
we find that they come back year after year as well.
There's other opportunities high school groups come over, but if
people are interested in engaging and going over and being
part of an organized program. We would love to have them.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Well, that's a great way to go and see Africa
and Tanzania and actually do a little good and give
back a little How can our listeners find out a
little bit more about Nurturing Minds and Sega School.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Well, you can definitely go to our website which is
Nurturing Minds in Africa dot org and I encourage people
to watch the video which really helps to bring the
organization and the school to life and show some of
the impact on the graduates like Elena and what they're
doing after they have after they've been at the school.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
And Alena, our last question what are you doing now?
And what do you what do you hope to do?
What are your aspirations for your future?
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Okay, I would say I'm a students at the University
Doma and i am a third year student and I'm
Paji at your Sense in Cybersecurity and Data Forensics Engineering
and my dream is to work in financed technology companies
as a cybersecurity analyst. And apart from the I really
(25:00):
love working with girls, working with community and especially in
the technology space. I want every girl to get a
chance to learn technology When I went to SAGA, I
did not have any knowledge about computers, but likely a SEGA.
We had computer lab and a very supportive teacher and
(25:22):
I feel like it really helped me to really know
what I wanted to do, especially the field of technology,
and with the life skills and career guidance program really
shaped me to know what I want to do with life,
to keep me the vision and where I want to go.
So I really want to see a world where every
(25:43):
girl is involved in technology in the field of cyber security,
which is now growing, especially in Africa in Tanzania, and
you know, become a positive impact in the community. And
I'm really happy that SEGA is helping me to go
to what my dreams and reach those books that I
(26:04):
want for myself.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Those are great aspirations. Congratulations on everything you've accomplished, Selena,
it's very impressive. Aloud to thank you for all the
work that you do for the for the young women
in Tanzania. It's been great having both of you on
the show. Thanks for your time. Well that's all for
(26:29):
this week. I'm Mike Christian inviting you to join us
again next week on What's at Risk. Also check out
our podcast at Wbznewsradio dot iHeart dot com. What's on
your mind? Send us your thoughts, comments, and questions to
(26:50):
What's at Risk at gmail dot com. That's one word,
What's at Risk at gmail dot com. Thank you. A
big thank you to our producer, Ken Carberry of Chart
Productions
Welcome back to What's at Risk. I'm Mike Christian. Elena
Green grew up in Moragoro, Tanzania. When she was in
primary school, her parents got divorced and her mother struggled
to support Elena, her older sister, and her younger brother,
who has a serious health condition. Her mom was farming
(00:26):
near the Sega Girls School campus and asked one of
the Massai guards what is this beautiful school. When he
shared that it was for girls from at risk backgrounds,
she could hardly believe it. She brought Elena to the
front gate. The next day, Elena formally applied and was
admitted to Sega. After Elena completed her ordinary level secondary
(00:49):
education at Sega, she became a Unite Scholar and received
a scholarship for her advanced level secondary education. She was
subsequently selected as a Yale Young African Scholar, which supports
African youth wishing to pursue university degrees. After completing her
A level degree, she was accepted as a Yale Young
(01:11):
Global Scholar. She is currently studying for a bachelor's degree
in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Engineering. Laudad Diminisius is the
executive director of Nurturing Minds, an organization dedicated to supporting
quality education, life skills, and entrepreneurship to help at risk
(01:33):
girls in Tanzania become leaders in their communities. She is
dedicated to creating a financially sustainable institution. Lauda has an
extensive thirty year background in poverty alleviation, working with both
startups and long established organizations that improve livelihoods in the
developing world and in the United States on issues including homelessness,
(01:57):
wildlife conservation, and girls at education. Laura has a master's
degree in international affairs from Columbia University School of International
and Public Affairs. Our guests today are louder De Diminiicus
and Elena Casabaje of Nurturing Minds and Sega Girls' School.
(02:21):
How are you both doing today?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Great, It's great to be here. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Nice to have you both. Maybe a good place to
start would be for both of you to tell tell
us about your background and so our listeners know who
you are and what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Okay, you want to start?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Elena, Yes, sure, Okay, Hi everyone. My name is Elena.
I am Chance two years old and I am Sega
School graduate of the class of tens two and currently
I am Doma, Tanzania, where I am a university student
(02:56):
at the University of Udoma. I am so happy to
be in this part podcast today and I'm so happy
to talk to you and share a lot about myself
and about Segel Secondary and.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I am loud to day diminishus. I'm the executive director
of Nurturing Minds and I have been in this role
for about ten years, but I've been involved previous to that,
really since the beginning, which is sixteen years in other
ways as a board member and essentially a volunteer, and
(03:28):
I live right in the in the Boston area.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Well, it's really nice to have both of you here
with us today. Thank you, Ludo. Nursing Minds is dedicated
to supporting quality education, life skills and entrepreneurship to girls
in Tanzania. What was the inspiration to start both Nurturing
Minds and Sega Girls' School in Tanzania?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
So when we started sixteen years ago, our co founders
found that there really were not enough secondary schools and
at the time, secondary school was a paid system, meaning
that it was not sort of public in the way
we think about public education, which meant that kids who
were coming from vulnerable or low income backgrounds were dropping
(04:13):
out of school at very high rates because they couldn't
afford to go to high school. And in particular, girls
were dropping out at much higher rates because if a
family could afford to pay for one child to go
to school, then they would be more likely to pay
for a son to go to school. So there was
a lot of girls dropping out and suffering the pitfalls
(04:37):
of being out of school, which of course include early
marriage and early pregnancy. And so that was really the
impetus behind starting a quality holistic education program which started
with the Sega Girls School.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
And when did it start in who was the founder
for it later?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
So it started in two thousand and eight and they
both were started essentially at the same time. So in
the United States, Nursering Minds was co founded by two sisters,
Polly and Tracy Dolan, and Polly had been living and
working in Tanzania for many, many years, so she co
(05:17):
founded Sega with her Tanzanian colleague Blastis Muserubi and.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Lauda what what's life like for the young women in Tanzania?
Just on a sort of a day to day basis.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
In Tanzania, like in most of the African countries, women
are not usual to go to higher level for education,
even in the rural Alias your friend, young girls ending
up in prema school which is start at seven and
then maybe would get married or do at a job.
(05:54):
Some of them they are being taken as house girls
to abandon areas like house made to work for other people.
And the emphasis of education has not always been really
like really had better like other countries around the world.
(06:14):
So I feel like Sega stepped out and really helped
a lot of us other young girls across the villages
across Tanzania to make sure that they go to a
higher level of education and pursue their dreams. Because when
you're educated girl, you educate the whole community, and education
(06:36):
is really important for African women and Tanzania.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Helena, you you grew up near Sega School, didn't you
as a child?
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Yes? I did? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:45):
And what was what was your childhood like before you
went to Sega School? What was life like for you?
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Okay? So I was born in a femal of three
children with my elder sister and my younger brother, and
I remember when I was in primary school, was a
bit far from where the school was, so I always
went to school with the bicycle and sometimes even my
(07:13):
mother remember, she used to tell me, you just have
to keep on going to school. Although it's fine, you're
going to big school. And sometimes you wake up heard
in the morning, you prepare to go to school, you're
not sure if your parents is going to give you
the money for you know, lands or breakfast. You just
have to go to school and then you hope when
you come back you'll get food. So it was always
(07:36):
kind of hard, but I was working hard. And when
you're named like a bride student, my mom used to
tell me, we hope you go to a boarding school,
like the government to choose you to go to a
boarding school in secondary school and it will be better
for you to avoid these hardships. Yes, and I remember
(07:58):
there was this time that my mother troubled with my
brother so India for his treatment, and I was at
all alone with my father, just at home, and it
was really hard for me, coming back from school very
late in the evening, going to the kitchen to cook
for me and my dad. It was really hard. But
(08:21):
when I get to sega in for money, it was
a life changing experience for me. So it was really nice.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And I think I saw that your mother got you
into the Sega Girls' School. How did she end up
doing that?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
My mom did not succeed to go to secondary school
when she was young, so after she graduated from primary school,
she went to training. It was mainly about food trainee.
She was told how to cook. So although when we
were living at home, she was just working back at
home as a farmer as a housewife. When I got
(09:02):
teachers to go to Sega, she was able to show
that she's qualified for cookie and she got did you.
But also her getting and job really helped me and
my female especially with my younger brother who who has
medical care experienses and we were not able to afford
(09:23):
most of which because we do not even have the
health insurance. So her getting enrolled to work at SAGE
being a life changing experience for me and my family
and all of us.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Ladi, you you alluded to this, I think, But what
is the relationship between Sega School and Nurturing Minds.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
We are partners essentially, So Nurturing Minds is the nonprofit
on the US side really charged with raising funds and
awareness and providing some technical assistance to our partner SEGA
and SEGA is an acronym which stills for Secondary Education
for Girls Advancement, and they are actually their own nonprofit,
(10:07):
their own Tanzanian NGO, So they have their own board
of directors and they have their seventy staff which oversees
and runs actually four programs and serves twenty five hundred
adolescent girls and young women across the country. So the
SEGA Girls School is sort of the flagship and initial
(10:29):
program that has about two hundred and eighty girls. But
then there's a big community outreach program they run called
Modern Girl that reaches two thousand girls and young women
in thirty villages. And we have a continuing education scholarship
fund and career development program. And then they also run
a small revolving loan program and ongoing business development skills.
(10:53):
So SEGA, the Tanzanian entity, essentially runs all of the
programs on the ground.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Yeah, you mentioned the loan fund. Is that to encourage
the entrepreneurship aspect of what's taught at the school?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Yes, absolutely, So in Form three the girls learn various
aspects of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, some product development, and that
is also taught as part of that community outreach program.
So some of the girls and then essentially young women
once they are finished with school or if they're from
(11:28):
the community from that Modern Girl program, if they're graduates
and they have started a business and they want they
need capital to grow that business, but ongoing business skills,
they can apply for a loan. This is a rather
new it's only three years old and smaller program, so
(11:48):
it was in the pilot stage and now it's serving
about sixty young women.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
And is it typical for young women to start businesses
in that part of Tanzania?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Absolutely? I think that, you know, wages tend to be
quite low, and so a lot of Tanzanians, even if
they have a formalized job, might also have a small business.
But the other reality is that, you know, the the
job market is tough and also women face a lot
of harassment, sexual harassment when they go into the workforce.
(12:20):
So it's rather appealing to also start your own business
as a way to be self sufficient.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
And Elena, I think I read where you won the
best English award at the Sega graduation. What was that?
What was the obviously for speaking English but in English fluency,
But how was, How was that determined and how did
you feel about winning the award that seems pretty prestigious.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
When I was in primary school, I thought English was
one of the hardest language he on it, and I
thought to myself, if I was able, when they're going
to speak English. So all I was doing is just
studied the language so that you can answer it in
my you know, my exams and past But when I
(13:08):
joined Saga School, I started perform one and I met
people for the English program, and I thought to myself,
oh my god, look at these people speaking English and
I don't even know where to start. It was really
hard for me at first, but they were so they
just were so supportive and they really wanted to help
(13:31):
me learn along with my fellow students. And then at
Saga there is a library where you can read books,
and I started reading books, and I even wanted myself
how English became one of the most easiest and I
really used to understand like a teacher would ask ask
(13:53):
a question and I would just know the answer and
for publan answer it. So it was really lef changing
experience for me again because I got to understand English
and Latin. I wonder a word at the best performing
students in English subjects at Sega.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Yeah, that's great. What's the native language? What language did
you grow up speaking in Tanzania.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
I grew up speaking Swahili.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
What other subjects did you did you study it at
Sega besides English?
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Okay? In Tanzania with the national curriculum, there are type
of subjects that you can take according to what you
want to study. So there is at subjects, there is
business subjects, and there is science subjects. So I took
science subjects which had involved mathematics, geography, chemistry, biology and
(14:50):
other core subjects like civics, Kiswahili and English.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
What about life skills because I know nurturing mind. Talk
about life skills, which is something you know a little different,
a little different than just the reading, writing, and arithmetic
that we learned in school. What were those skills and
what was that like and how they helped you since
you left the school?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Okay? So first, I think what really differentiates Sega School
from a lot of schools in Tanzania is how they
teach life skills, what they teach outside classes. You know,
they don't only prepare you to excel in your academics,
but they also prepare you to, you know, how to
(15:34):
navigate through lives. I remember when I went to SEGA,
I was not even able to stand in front of
my classmates and speak. It was really hard for me.
But we had life skills sessions and they were teaching
us how to be confident, how to speak out for yourself,
you know, the skills that you need for communication, how
(15:54):
to live with others, for you know, personal affirmations, and
a lot more about our career choices. You may find
a person who is very qualified in his maybe in
his academic qualifications, but they lack communication skills, They lack confidence,
they are not able to present themselves well. And when
(16:17):
you're coming to employers today's world, it's really important that
you have those skills to present yourself well in front
of us. So I think SEGA released to that in
that and it has really built me to a person
that I am today.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Well, you clearly picked up on all those skills in
a meaningful way.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Congratulations And if I could add to that, they also
teach reproductive health as part of those classes, which is
something that is not part of the Tanzanian curriculum. So
it's one of the ways in which SEGA adds value
to the curriculum in addition to the entrepreneurship, but through
those life skills that are things they're not getting in
(16:57):
their regular in a public high school.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Lot of How often do you go to Tanzania?
Speaker 2 (17:02):
I go about once a year for a couple of weeks,
you know. Usually Now with Zoom, of course, I can
meet with my Counterpartlane and Mondoloma every week, so that
makes things easier. But I usually go to meet new
staff and see programs, and see new programs and just
(17:24):
get to connect with the staff and board members.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
I saw that you were selected as both a Yale
Young African Scholar and then accept it as a Yale
Young Global Scholar. What do those means? Sounds pretty impressive
to me and how have they helped you.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Yale University has two of the programs, the first one
which is Yale Young African Schools, which is an academic
enrichment program. They take students from fifty four countries of Africa,
trained them about different lessons, including also how to apply
to universities inside and outside Africa, but also to discuss
(18:05):
some of the most challenging issues in the continent. And
you know, come up with solutions, you know, and connecting
other young Africas. But also they have another program which
is called YELLO Young Global Scholars Program which they connect
all scholars, all young people from across the globe, from
different countries in the world, and they also train you.
(18:28):
They have science sessions, they have at sessions, they have
business sessions. So I always like to get selected to
both of the programs.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
I also read that you met with Michelle Obama. That
sounds pretty impressive. Everything you do sounds pretty impressive. Frankly,
tell us about Michelle Obama.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Okay, so as Madam Lara said that got the opportunity
to go to the United States for their Students' Cultural
Exchange and my colleague and I were lucky to attend
this Michell Obama's lunching events she was launching. These program
is called get Her There Under there were girls opportunity
(19:12):
lands and when we attended, we were able to you know,
meet with other other women like amaal Cuny, Melinda French Gates,
a lot of them, and it was really amazing because
you get to meet with these women across the world
who are advocating, who are you know, fighting for girls
(19:34):
education and they were really happy. We talked to them,
connected to some of them. You know, it was really
amazing experience and we are really happy for this well.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Which division for Nurturing Minds and SEGA school out into
the future. You've accomplished so much and continue to grow.
What's what are the next steps?
Speaker 2 (19:58):
So in terms of the school, so the school sits
on thirty acres of land and it was built really
very much thanks to the American people, and we have
now gotten four grants from USAID asha American schools and
hospitals abroad. So with this most recent grant, which we
(20:18):
got about a year ago, we'll be building an additional dormitory,
a biology lab, a wall for security around the school.
In terms of our programs overall, with the girls doing
so much better academically in recent years, I think maybe
(20:39):
starting with Alina's program our year, because of our English
fluency program, nearly one hundred percent of the girls after
they graduate go on to some level of higher education,
with seventy percent going onto university. And that is compared
to three percent in the country overall. And that's girls
(21:01):
or boys, or men or women.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
So that's a.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Big growing program. We currently have two hundred and seventy
girls in that program of continuing education, so that's a
growing scholarship fund, of course, but also as part of that,
the girls get ongoing career development skills and we're now
connecting them with internships more and more so that they
(21:27):
can get on the job training and real develop real
skills for better job placement. And so that is one
of the things that has grown a lot.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
And Lata, what about volunteers. I know that you do
encourage volunteers, and people come from all over and volunteer.
Tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
We love volunteers at Nurturing Minds and at SEGA. So
sometimes we have volunteers in the US who might do
something like host a gathering, a friend raiser, or actually
host a fundraiser, and so that's always appreciated and really important.
But we have a lot of volunteers that go over
to SEGA every year, and we have two organized programs.
(22:12):
One is a STEM program that happens now in June
each year, and so we're actually if there's people interested
in going over in June of twenty twenty five, where
we're looking for volunteers now and we have a group
of SEGA graduates like Elena was at the last at
(22:32):
the Last STEM program where we're really teaching the youngest
kids to Form one kids all about STEM subjects, making
it fun and interactive, doing experiments to encourage more girls
and young women to go into STEM subjects like Elena has.
And then in the fall we have an English fluency program,
(22:54):
which Elena also had attended as a student. And so
we just had about eighteen foreign volunteers, mostly Americans, who
were there at the school for two weeks teaching English
to the incoming students, so we call them pre form
but after they finish primary school, they come to us
for about three months to learn English because they have
(23:17):
been learning in primary school in Swahili, and then the
medium of instruction changes to English, so they're being able
to get that intensive English instruction prior to starting high
school is really important and it's just it's a really
fun program as well. It's sort of like an English
boot camp that a lot of the volunteers love because
(23:40):
we find that they come back year after year as well.
There's other opportunities high school groups come over, but if
people are interested in engaging and going over and being
part of an organized program. We would love to have them.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Well, that's a great way to go and see Africa
and Tanzania and actually do a little good and give
back a little How can our listeners find out a
little bit more about Nurturing Minds and Sega School.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Well, you can definitely go to our website which is
Nurturing Minds in Africa dot org and I encourage people
to watch the video which really helps to bring the
organization and the school to life and show some of
the impact on the graduates like Elena and what they're
doing after they have after they've been at the school.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
And Alena, our last question what are you doing now?
And what do you what do you hope to do?
What are your aspirations for your future?
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Okay, I would say I'm a students at the University
Doma and i am a third year student and I'm
Paji at your Sense in Cybersecurity and Data Forensics Engineering
and my dream is to work in financed technology companies
as a cybersecurity analyst. And apart from the I really
(25:00):
love working with girls, working with community and especially in
the technology space. I want every girl to get a
chance to learn technology When I went to SAGA, I
did not have any knowledge about computers, but likely a SEGA.
We had computer lab and a very supportive teacher and
(25:22):
I feel like it really helped me to really know
what I wanted to do, especially the field of technology,
and with the life skills and career guidance program really
shaped me to know what I want to do with life,
to keep me the vision and where I want to go.
So I really want to see a world where every
(25:43):
girl is involved in technology in the field of cyber security,
which is now growing, especially in Africa in Tanzania, and
you know, become a positive impact in the community. And
I'm really happy that SEGA is helping me to go
to what my dreams and reach those books that I
(26:04):
want for myself.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Those are great aspirations. Congratulations on everything you've accomplished, Selena,
it's very impressive. Aloud to thank you for all the
work that you do for the for the young women
in Tanzania. It's been great having both of you on
the show. Thanks for your time. Well that's all for
(26:29):
this week. I'm Mike Christian inviting you to join us
again next week on What's at Risk. Also check out
our podcast at Wbznewsradio dot iHeart dot com. What's on
your mind? Send us your thoughts, comments, and questions to
(26:50):
What's at Risk at gmail dot com. That's one word,
What's at Risk at gmail dot com. Thank you. A
big thank you to our producer, Ken Carberry of Chart
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