Let's Improve Girls' Education in Africa

In addition to the MindLeaps methodology, which uses dance as a tool to develop social-emotional learning skills, MindLeaps also sponsored girls from Rwanda, Uganda, Guinea, and Mauritania, providing them with access to both formal education and vocational training opportunities. Through these scholarships, critical financial barriers were removed, enabling vulnerable girls to remain in school, pursue skills-based training, and build sustainable pathways toward self-reliance.

Beyond educational sponsorship, MindLeaps implemented complementary empowerment initiatives designed to equip young women with practical life and leadership skills. One recent initiative, the Girls Get It Program, engaged 60 adolescent girls in Kampala, Uganda. Through this holistic program, participants received training in sexual and reproductive health, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, basic project management, and communication skills. The program empowered them not only to succeed academically, but also to thrive personally, socially, and professionally.

In the words of Sophia Najjingo…

Seventeen-year-old Ugandan Sophia Abdullah Najjingo joined MindLeaps in 2024. She began by taking computer and dance classes at the Kampala-based Center, and her teachers quickly saw exceptional potential in her. She rapidly advanced through all three levels of MindLeaps’ Dance & Data curricula: Foundations, Contemporary, and Advanced.  As she entered 9th grade, her MindLeaps teachers invited her to become a Teaching Assistant for dance classes. In this role, she assisted two instructors with leading dance classes, and she supported individual students as they learned new dance routines. She excelled in this role; her peers and teachers recognized her leadership and commitment.  

With the support of all of our individual donors, including you, Sophia was able to advance her academic and IT studies as a part of the MindLeaps program. In October 2025, Sophia was among the student candidates who took the national exams. As we wait for her exam results to be announced, MindLeaps teachers believe that they will be excellent based upon the high-quality work she has done. 

Sophia’s positive trajectory is a testament to the meaningful impact of your support, and we are excited to see where Sophia’s passion and drive take her next!