Who we are
SteP UP works in São Tomé and Príncipe with grass roots-level organizations that are legally recognized by the local authorities, promoting the principles of self-help development. SteP UP develops and facilitates projects for the improvement of the communities where these organizations are based.
SteP UP was founded by Ned Seligman in 1997 (1947-2021) and has been operating since his passing under Director Roberta Dos Santos and her local team of dedicated young professionals.
Director
Roberta Dos Santos has worked with community-based organizations in São Tomé since 1990, when she started working for the Peace Corps as Assistant Director. Prior to the Peace Corps and STeP UP, she taught English for twenty years in São Tomé's only high school and later at the Diocesan Institute Joao Paulo II. She received advanced training in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) for three years in Buffalo, NY.
Administrative Assistant
Arminda Rolim supports the professional skills for the computer classes, and business aspects of both the Sewing and Culinary courses in Guadalupe and Angolares communities.
Step UP Support Team
Mondalane Lopez - supports the business aspects of the Computer, Sewing, and Culinary courses in Correia Community.
Flavio - Administrative Support and Legal Assistance
Egberto - Financing Director/Accountant
Step UP Board
Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Roberta Ayres has lived and worked in the United States since 1993 and serves as Education Consultant for the Gulf of Guinea Biodiversity Project at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. She collaborates with educators and scientists to bring biodiversity research from São Tomé and Príncipe into classrooms and communities through hands-on science education. Over the past 15 years, her work has reached thousands of students, including in remote communities. Roberta serves as STeP UP Board Director, providing strategic leadership and supporting the organization’s mission and vision.
While employed by the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco Velma Schnoll became a project manager for the Gulf of Guinea Biodiversity Project. She collaborated with CAS faculty and volunteers to create educational materials and traveled to São Tomé and Príncipe to teach biodiversity education in the local communities and schools. Although retired she has continued to support StepUP and has served on the board since 2023. Velma now serves as StepUP Board Director.
Maria Jerónimo began her scientific study in Evolutionary Biology traveling twice on scientific expeditions to São Tomé e Principe, It was there that she was introduced to Step Up.
Since 2019 she has been dedicated to understanding how small communities can be more resilient, sustainable and prosperous. As a proponent of Regenerative Agriculture she is skilled in design, implementation and maintenance of agroforestry systems. Currently she is in Portugal working and managing her own agroforest. She is always seeking to share Agroforest principles with others, focusing the human being as a key element to build and maintain healthier ecosystems.
Ned Seligman - Founder and Friend
August 7, 1947 - January 7, 2021
Ned Seligman '65, from Middlesex School, a recipient of the Henry Cabot Lodge '20 Distinguished Alumni Award, dedicated his life to serving others in some of the world's most disadvantaged areas. After graduating from Yale and joining the Peace Corps, Ned spent decades working in rural communities across Africa, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Somalia, and Mauritania.
His work focused heavily on vital hydraulic infrastructure like dams and wells. In 1998, he founded STeP Up, an NGO in Sao Tome e Principe, to help grassroots organizations secure funding and implement community improvement projects in education, health, and agriculture.
Ned's profound commitment was tested in 2004 when a severe MRSA infection led to the amputation of both his legs and most of his fingertips. Yet, within a year, he was back at his post, driven by an enduring passion for his work. Ned's life is a testament to the power of commitment and hard work, demonstrating how one person's passion can inspire and empower communities to achieve lasting change.
Your support can help continue Ned's vital legacy and empower communities in São Tomé e Príncipe.