LIFE AT SEGA
Rhoda Daudi heard about SEGA through Church Session where they announced that the school was offering free, quality education to girls in underprivileged families and hoped she would receive a scholarship too. Rhoda was unable to continue with her education because of her difficult family’s financial situation. She loved going to school but at that time she could not attend since her family could not pay school fees. She decided to go for vocational training and took sewing classes. When she learned about SEGA, she came and took the admission exam and did well. She was overjoyed and grateful for the opportunity to have joined SEGA.
LIFE AT SEGA:
Rhoda joined SEGA in 2008 when she was fifteen years old. She started with standard six and faced a few challenges as she was transforming back to her school life since she stayed at home for three years without going to school. Since she stayed at home for such a long time, at the start of school she could not cope with being a student again and it was very hard. Through counselling and Life Skills sessions at SEGA, she was able to cope well. She became confident and well-disciplined. She was inspired and felt empowered while at SEGA. While at SEGA, Rhoda used some of her free time to advise the young students and motivated them. She had always believed in self-employment and the entrepreneurship programs that were provided to her at SEGA helped her to think about starting her own businesses after she was done with school. While at SEGA, Rhoda took up sciences classes and was thinking to major in Engineering. She got the opportunity to go out of school for career trips and was able to ask different questions that she needed to know before she graduated from SEGA. It wasn’t just her career aspirations which changed as Rhoda progressed. Her story changed as she sought leadership opportunities and worked towards her future. In 2013, after 4 years of free education, Rhoda completed secondary school with the inaugural graduating class.
LIFE AFTER SEGA:
Rhoda continued to A-Level (the final two years of secondary school) through the support of the Post Form IV Continuing Education Scholarship program. She joined Junior Secondary High School and did her A-levels there for two years. While in A-Level; she took Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. At school, she was voted as a Food and Nutrition Perfect. The experience helped her practice her role as a leader. She faced a lot of challenges when she was in high school. One of the biggest ones was other students disrespecting her and laughing at her because she was older than the rest of the other students. Transforming to high school was hard for her so her classes became a bit harder than she thought, when she did not perform well in class other students made fun of her. It was not easy but through perseverance and hard work, she was able to graduate high school.
As she was waiting for her form six national examination results, she joined the Tanzanian army for a few months. Rhoda mentions that she learned so many things while in the army including self-defence. With the help of SEGA, she later joined Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology College where she took a diploma in Electrical Engineering. SEGA staff visited her when she was in college and Rhoda mentions that seeing familiar faces on campus encouraged her and felt like she was cared for.
As she was studying, she realized that she needed to start a small business so that she can help herself financially. Since she had some sewing skills, she took a small portion of her pocket money that she got from SEGA and used it as capital to buy a sewing machine. She started a sewing business near her college and was able to get some money that helped herself and her family.
She graduated from college and got an opportunity to intern with Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO).
After that, she joined another vocational training centre to improve her sewing skills. She graduated from the centre and is now a certified tailor. She currently has her tailoring business called “Big Mama Designs”. She is also attending an open university pursuing a degree in Accounting and Finance management. She wants to be able to focus on and manage her businesses. She believes in employing herself other than being employed. She currently has a few businesses including a Mini-Bar and a Car Wash that she has partnered with a friend.
Rhoda is grateful for all the support that she got from SEGA and Nurturing Minds. She believes she would not have gotten to where she is and wishes the organization nothing but the best.