Get ready to ignite creativity and inspire the next generation of STEM leaders at the inaugural SEGA Robo-Explorers Program, taking place June 28–July 8, 2026! This unforgettable volunteer experience invites you to work directly with Form 3 students at the SEGA Girls’ School as they dive into the world of robotics, coding, and engineering. Built on the energy of the 2025 STEM Adventures program, this new initiative is led by Dr. Ming and his sons—passionate STEM educators and robotics coaches—who bring deep expertise and a spirit of curiosity to every session.

During your time at SEGA, you’ll help guide students through the FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge, an internationally celebrated program where teams build and code LEGO® EV3 robots to take on mission-based challenges while developing teamwork, creativity, and real-world problem-solving skills. This year’s theme, UNEARTHED, invites students to dig into archaeology-inspired design challenges and imagine how technology can help build a better world.

More than a volunteer trip, this experience is a chance to empower girls at a crucial point in their education, help bridge the gender gap in STEM fields in Tanzania, and contribute to SEGA’s growing vision of a future makerspace for innovation and exploration. Join us for an inspiring, hands-on adventure that blends culture, community, and the joy of discovery. Your impact will last long after the robots power down!

SEGA Girls’ School is a private secondary girls’ boarding school serving over 275 girls each year from Form I-Form IV. Students are selected from 25 different communities across the country and the majority are provided with full scholarships to attend. SEGA follows the Tanzanian national curriculum and is ranked in the top 7% of schools in the country. Over time, SEGA’s goal is to improve education standards in Tanzania by becoming a model center for excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership development. In addition to its academic program, the school provides practical, relevant skills through hands-on activities.

Experience the SEGA Girls’ School firsthand, by staying on campus in the SEGA Visitor House.

Nestled near the base of the beautiful Uluguru Mountains, the School is located 7 miles north of Morogoro, which is located approximately 5 hours west of Dar es Salaam by car. Experience the school in person and relax in our comfortable visitor house while enjoying delicious dishes from your private cook and experiencing the vitality of our vibrant school and nearby cultural exchange activities. 

Your stay at the SEGA Visitor House contributes to improving the financial sustainability of the SEGA Girls' School.

We only offer double room accommodations at the SEGA Visitor House. If you are traveling with a friend or family member please let us know so that we organize the rooms accordingly. Single accommodation bookings only apply to the Mediterraneo Hotel and Hotel Slipway in Dar es Salaam.  

As part of our commitment to carbon reduction, we have designed a plan to offset carbon emissions that cannot be minimized. In pursuit of this goal, Nurturing Minds has formed a partnership with Carbon Tanzania, a renowned organization specializing in carbon offsetting and climate change solutions in Tanzania. One of the areas we will begin by focusing on is offsetting the carbon emissions generated by international flights to visit the SEGA Girls’ School. 

We request that all SEGA visitors join us in our efforts to make visits to the SEGA Girls’ School environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly. You can contribute to our sustainability goals by purchasing carbon credits through Carbon Tanzania. Attached here, you will find detailed instructions and explanations to guide you through purchasing carbon offsets for your international flight to Dar es Salaam. 

Typical Flight Paths:

If you are flying from Boston, MA this will generate 3000 KG of carbon emissions. To offset these emissions you will purchase 3.4 tonnes of CO2.  To offset these emissions, visit https://www.carbontanzania.com/buy-carbon-offsets/ and purchase $51 of certified carbon offsets to balance your emissions. This is a tax-deductible purchase. 

If you are flying from Philadelphia, PA this will generate 3.5 Tonnes of CO2. To offset these emissions, visit https://www.carbontanzania.com/buy-carbon-offsets/ and purchase $52.50 of certified carbon offsets to balance your emissions. This is a tax-deductible purchase. 

If you are flying from New York City, NY this will generate 3.5 Tonnes of CO2. To offset these emissions, visit https://www.carbontanzania.com/buy-carbon-offsets/ and purchase $52.50 of certified carbon offsets to balance your emissions. This is a tax-deductible purchase. 

If you are flying from the DMV Area (IAD/BWI/DCA) this will generate 7.5 Tonnes of CO2. To offset these emissions, visit https://www.carbontanzania.com/buy-carbon-offsets/ and purchase $112.50 of certified carbon offsets to balance your emissions. This is a tax-deductible purchase. 

If you have a different flight path, email myranda@nurturingmindsinafrica.org to find out how many carbon offsets you need to purchase. 

**Just 1 tonne of CO2 equals 2,500 miles driven by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle! **

Guests must provide their own travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation. We recommend purchasing travel insurance to cover emergency medical expenses and unexpected trip cancellations. Nurturing Minds is not a licensed insurance agency or advisor. We strongly recommend that all travelers get Cancel For Any Reason Insurance (CFAR) which will cover reasons that may be associated with COVID-19.   

We recommend that all travelers visit Yonder Travel Insurance for help choosing a personal health and travel insurance plan. They partner with great, recognizable partners, and for every plan purchased they provide a week of meals to a refugee child in South East Asia through Venture a U.S. based 501(c)(3).  Please obtain travel insurance at least 30 days before your trip. 

Please provide an email to us containing:  

1. Travel Insurance Provider 

2. Insurance Policy Number

3. 24-hour support line

In order to enter Tanzania, you will need a valid passport with at least two blank pages and six months' validity remaining. The passport and any other required travel documents are to be presented along with the appropriate visa to the Immigration Control Officer at any entry point, such as a border station, airport, or harbor. 

You can obtain a visa for Tanzania online (e-visa Tanzania). Visas may also be obtained upon arrival.

Multientry visa cost is 100 USD. 

We highly encourage U.S. travelers to register with the U.S. Government Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and to review the pages for the U.S. Embassy Tanzania and U.S. Department of State Tanzania.

We do not send tax receipts for trip expenses because Nurturing Minds does not consider these payments to be donations since visitors receive a benefit (all of the land activities). Additionally, the payments do not flow through Nurturing Minds' books. Nurturing Minds is merely a pass-through organization for the funds to allow U.S. visitors to easily pay SEGA, since they do not have the ability to accept credit cards or checks.

The IRS may allow you to write off some volunteer trip expenses as long as the trip is only for volunteering purposes; however, we suggest speaking with your tax consultant for guidance and recommendations. 

Please contact us at info@nurturingmindsinafrica.org if you require a tax receipt after further research and discussions with your tax consultant.

The Hotel Blue Sapphire in Dar es Salaam is a welcoming hotel known for its comfortable rooms, excellent service, and relaxing atmosphere near the airport.

Enjoy overnight accommodation, dinner, and breakfast! 

You’ll be picked up at the Serena Hotel by a trusted driver and taken to the Dar es Salaam SGR Station for a comfortable 90-minute high-speed train ride to Morogoro. Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly welcomed at the Morogoro Station and transferred to the SEGA Visitor House, where a welcome song, campus tour, and meet-and-greet with SEGA students await!

Enjoy 6-night accommodation at the SEGA Visitor House!

Morning:
The day begins with a 7:30 AM breakfast (with coffee available as early as 6:30 AM). At 9:00 AM, volunteers gather for an orientation covering program expectations, curriculum goals, teaching approaches at SEGA, and co-teaching groups. From 9:30 to lunch, the team dives into program planning with a run-through of Day 1, classroom visits, curriculum review, and dedicated Q&A time, with a tea break alongside Form 1 students at 10:40 AM.

Afternoon:
At 1:00 PM, the group departs SEGA for a meaningful home and community visit with a current SEGA student, including lunch, followed by a visit to Morogoro’s vibrant food and fabric markets. Everyone returns to campus by 4:00 PM, with protected rest or group planning time at 5:00 PM.

Evening:
Program leaders hold a brief check-in meeting at 6:00 PM before the group gathers at 6:30 PM for final planning for Day 1. The day winds down with a 7:30 PM dinner.

Morning:
Day 1 kicks off with breakfast at 7:00 AM (coffee ready from 6:30 AM) to fuel an exciting day ahead. At 9:00 AM, volunteers and students dive into Session 1 – Introduction to the Robotics Program, exploring core values, robot design and programming, research, innovation, and the LEGO® Robot Game. A tea break with Form 3 students at 10:40 AM provides a chance to connect and recharge before continuing hands-on robotics activities and group discussions until lunch.

Afternoon:
At 1:00 PM, students meet invited experts to gain insights into real-world STEM careers, followed by lunch at 2:30 PM. At 3:30 PM, Hussein will be at SEGA to take your measurements, and the afternoon concludes with protected rest or group planning time at 5:00 PM.

Evening:
The day wraps up with a 6:00 PM debrief and group planning session for Day 2, followed by a communal 6:30 PM dinner. Throughout the day, students are introduced to LEGO® robotics kits, motors, and sensors, engaging in hands-on demonstrations and small group builds to explore movement, attachment functions, and the fundamentals of robotics—laying the foundation for a week of innovation, teamwork, and discovery!

Morning:
Day 2 begins bright and early with breakfast at 6:30 AM to prepare for another action-packed day. At 9:00 AM, students and volunteers dive into Session 2 – Challenges in Archaeology, exploring research and discovery, mission strategies, and robotic solutions for future technology. A tea break with Form 3 students at 10:40 AM provides a moment to connect before continuing hands-on robotics activities and group discussions until lunch.

Afternoon:
After lunch at 2:30 PM, students meet invited experts to gain insights into real-world STEM applications. At 3:00 PM, everyone gets active with sports alongside SEGA students, blending teamwork, fun, and community spirit. The afternoon closes with protected rest or group planning time at 5:00 PM.

Evening:
The day wraps up with a 6:00 PM debrief and group planning session for Day 3, followed by dinner at 6:30 PM. Throughout the day, students focus on programming basics, building core robot structures with sensors, coding motor movements, and experimenting with sensor functions—laying the foundation for more advanced robotics challenges while encouraging creativity and problem-solving skills.

Morning:
Day 3 starts with breakfast at 7:00 AM (coffee ready from 6:30 AM) to energize for a full day of robotics. At 9:00 AM, students and volunteers dive into Session 3 – LEGO Robot Design, exploring controllers, motors, sensors, and building their first LEGO robots. A tea break with Form 3 students at 10:40 AM provides a chance to connect before jumping into Session 4 – Programming LEGO Robots, where students practice using the Spike and Mindstorms apps, navigate turns with gyro sensors, follow lines with color sensors, and measure distances using sensors.

Afternoon:
Lunch at 2:30 PM offers a pause before protected rest or group planning time at 5:00 PM, allowing volunteers and students to recharge for the evening.

Evening:
The day wraps up with a quick 6:00 PM check-in with program leaders, followed by a 6:30 PM debrief and planning session for Day 4. Throughout the day, students focus on building and moving robots in real life, integrating attachments and refining coding to complete fully functioning robots capable of performing practical, real-world tasks—an exciting step in turning theory into hands-on innovation.

On the morning of Day 4, the day begins with breakfast at 7:30 AM (coffee ready by 6:30 AM), followed by Session 5 from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, focused on practicing solving archaeological missions, including robotic tool attachments and LEGO building skills, with a short tea break with Form 3 students at 10:40 AM.

In the afternoon, lunch is scheduled at 2:30 PM, followed by a session at 3:30 PM to learn traditional dances with SEGA students. From 5:00 PM, there is protected time for rest or group planning.

In the evening, the team will debrief and plan for Day 5 at 6:30 PM, followed by dinner with Headmistress Elly at 7:30 PM!

On Sunday, July 5, the day begins with breakfast at 7:30 AM (coffee ready by 6:30 AM), followed by Session 6 from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, which focuses on robot practice sessions, including developing, iterating, and improving project solutions, as well as planning project presentations, with a tea break with Form 3 students at 10:40 AM.

At 1:00 PM, Session 7 features the celebration event with the project presentations. Lunch is scheduled for 2:30 PM.

The day concludes with dinner at 6:30 PM. Overall, the morning and early afternoon are focused on finalizing and presenting robotics projects, while the late afternoon and evening allow for rest and reflection!

The day kicks off with breakfast at 7:00 AM before departing SEGA at 7:30 AM for the adventure ahead at Mikumi National Park!

After a scenic drive, the group arrives at the park around 10:00 AM and jumps straight into the excitement with the first game drive at 10:30 AM, spotting wildlife and soaking in the stunning landscape.

Lunch is served at 1:00 PM, followed by a check-in at the luxurious Stanley Kopje, Foxes Safari Tented Camps at 3:00 PM, where everyone can relax and enjoy the safari atmosphere.

The day wraps up with a delicious dinner at 7:30 PM, perfect for sharing stories and highlights from an unforgettable first day in the wild.

The day starts bright and early at 6:00 AM with tea, coffee, and cakes before checking out of Stanley Kopje. At 6:30 AM, the adventure continues with a morning game drive, offering one last chance to spot wildlife in the stunning Mikumi National Park.

At 12:30 PM, the group departs the park with a picnic lunch en route, making the most of the journey back.

By 3:00 PM, everyone arrives at the SGR MORO Train Station and boards the 4:20 PM train to Dar es Salaam, arriving at DSM Train Station at 6:21 PM for transfer to Hotel Slipway. The day concludes with a group dinner at 8:30 PM at the hotel’s Waterfront Family Style Dining, the perfect way to relax and celebrate a day filled with wildlife and travel adventures.

The day begins at 6:00 AM with breakfast before checking out of Hotel Slipway at 10:00 AM. Volunteers are picked up from the hotel and transferred to the airport for their departure flights, with staggered departures throughout the afternoon and evening.

Safari njema (Safe Travels!)