UMD Senior’s Children’s Book Honors her Sister with Autism
Seti Ouelega’s close bond with her sister, Meghan, inspired her to study neuroscience and write a children’s book to spread autism awareness.
When Seti Ouelega was stuck at home during the COVID-19 lockdown, she didn’t bake bread or film TikTok dances. At 13 years old, she typed furiously into a Google Doc with her 8-year-old sister, Neeyo, about their eldest sibling, Meghan, who has autism. Their book, Marvelous Meghan: Our Big Sister, aims to raise autism awareness.
The biographical book chronicles the three sisters’ childhood, showing how Meghan experiences life differently but, like all children, ultimately wants love and fun—from her hours spent on the playground to her joy when her belly is full from a home-cooked meal. Being able to write the book for her sister meant the world to Seti, who is now a 19-year-old senior neuroscience major at the University of Maryland.
“Holding the book for the first time definitely felt very rewarding,” Seti said. “I feel like it's also Meghan’s favorite book. I think she knows it’s about her—and she likes when people talk about her.“
Meghan and Seti have long been joined at the hip. Only one year apart in age, Seti said that they always felt like twins. Growing up, the pair spent countless hours romping and jumping on the trampoline or playground. They also share a similar love for French-language musicians, GIMS being Meghan’s favorite.
“She definitely stole my playlist,” Seti joked.
Raising awareness, empathy and understanding for Meghan and others with autism has long been Seti’s life goal. Growing up, Seti and Neeyo gave autism awareness presentations at school, but that wasn’t possible during the pandemic. Their mom, Sylvie Nguena, had the idea to turn their presentations into Marvelous Meghan, which they published in 2023.
Seti says the response to the book has been overwhelmingly positive. Family members told them how proud they were, and other parents of children with autism reached out to say they felt seen. Seti and Neeyo have since appeared on talk shows on networks such as Fox5DC, Voice of America, and CRTV—the largest broadcasting network in their home country of Cameroon. They have also delivered presentations about autism around the world, including in Germany, France and Cameroon. In Cameroon, Seti said, autism is stigmatized. People try to hide it, act like it doesn’t exist or pretend that it will go away in a few years. Seti is proud that her family is working to change that perception—through Marvelous Meghan and beyond.
Their children’s book is part of the Lewuh Marvelous Meghan Foundation, of which Seti is the founder and president. The foundation advocates for dignity and equal opportunities for people with disabilities. The foundation’s work includes fundraising for charities, delivering autism awareness presentations and developing educational resources for families. Over the past two years, Seti has led fundraising efforts that funded school tuition for 35 children with disabilities, helping to provide them with access to education.
Seti also weaves autism-related research and coursework into her studies.
“I've always been interested in the brain, especially seeing how different my sister's brain is compared to other people,” she said. “That's definitely what inspired my major in neuroscience.”
After she graduates, Seti plans to become a neurosurgeon while continuing to advocate for autism. Already, she and Neeyo have written a second book focused on the emotions they feel when interacting with Meghan, which they plan to publish soon.
As for Meghan, she’s enrolled in a school program through Community Services for Autistic Adults & Children, a nonprofit based in Montgomery Village, Maryland. It’s an opportunity that not every person with autism has, but one that Seti believes they deserve.
“These people need assistance, they need love, they need to be cared for,” she said. “That's the message we're trying to spread with our book and our foundation.”
