President & Founder

Over the last two decades I have witnessed many children struggle with math, reading and writing. I worked as a tutor over the years and I've done my best to help children and adults understand math and reading concepts. I've also witnessed the long-term effects of the children who did not get the help they needed and how that hindered them in adulthood. Things such as an inability to compute simple math problems and an inability to comprehend or focus on tasks.

 

Based on my experience, children need a lot of support and nurturing in order to learn and grow. It is my belief that we can build a network of parents, teachers and community members to support their learning and growth. 

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I was raised by a single, widowed mother with 5 other siblings. My mother had a host of siblings and friends who helped to guide us over the years, but ultimately our education her sole responsibility. Due to my mother's responsibilities, her attention was spread thin. I had to become self-sufficient in my studies and homework. However, this caused a heightened sense of anxiety throughout childhood. I struggled with several issues throughout high school and college including:

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• Communication Apprehension. I was afraid to speak up for fear that I would be bothering people/teachers so I would wait until I got home to find the answers on my own (books, early ages of internet).

• Feeling stupid/inadequate. I was always in competition with the next straight-A student, even though they were unaware. This caused me to become an over-achiever.

• Fear of Failure. I wanted to be "self-made" and I hated relying on adults because I felt I they were always too busy for me. I put "self-made" in quotes because I leaned no one is truly self-made and everyone needs help at some point.

• A parent who was overwhelmed with responsibilities. My mom would occasionally help me write papers if she had the time, but it was most my responsibility to read, write and edit as early as fourth grade. Keep in mind, this was back in what I like to call the "stone ages" before the internet and computers became a household staple.

 

As a result of the above struggles, I adapted many character traits over the years, including:

• Resilience. Between tenth and eleventh grade, I struggled with school work because the work naturally became more advanced compared to all previous years. I began utilizing school tutors to fill in the gaps of my inadequacies. I knew I had to be resilient in the face of challenges or risk failure and becoming a drop-out.

• Tenacity. Between eleventh and twelfth grade, it finally hit me that adulthood was fast approaching. There was no one coming to save me and I needed to create a plan of success. I became very goal-oriented and would often write and check off goals. My main focus was to get into college and make a way for myself.

• Natural Researcher. By the time I entered the college arena, I realized very quickly there is NO handholding in college! If you wanted to succeed, you had take the initiative and reach out. I struggled with keeping up with my assignments so I had to find tutors to help me. I had the added challenge of trying to keep up with the social pressures of college life (partying 'til 3:00am, knowing I had an 8:00am class).

• Activating my inner-scholar. I became an "Investigator of Information". I was always very methodical in my research and my commitment to complete my assignments. I would follow patterns and find solutions to problems, then share that information with my peers. I realized that my success or failure was my own. It took the activation of that thought to catapult me into the next phase of adulthood (post-college life).

 

I share all of this because many of us have struggled at some point in school. Whether it be academic, mental or social pressures. We had to learn how to overcome adversities in life. However, we don't have to do it alone. This feeling of loneliness creates holes in our social fabric. I want people to know that whatever you wish or dream of, can be accomplished. However, it will take a willingness to open up, network and accept a helping hand. Regardless of the career field you choose, most humans need another human to open a door or give them a helping hand. With Water 4 Seeds, I intend to open doors for others. I want anyone reading this to know: You are NOT alone. If you have a child struggling in school, let's create a plan of success for them. Let's get them on the right track. Most importantly, let's remind them that they are not alone.

- Mia Durr

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Mia has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Drexel University. In 2013, she moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Atlanta, Georgia where she met her husband, Nuri. They now have two amazing children: Zora & Ryo. She worked in the public housing sector, food & beverage (restaurants) and human resources to name a few. She loves to gather, sort and disseminate information in a way that helps others succeed. That love has transformed into Water 4 Seeds. She is now on a mission to nurture, support and pour love into children and parents in an effort to help them thrive. Her hobbies revolve around teaching her children and exploring the outdoors with them; In addition to arts & crafts, nature walks, traveling, studying ancient astrology, being a plant-mom and volunteering for school PTA events.