ADI-AJERO COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROJECT UPDATES

• Ground Breaking – July 9, 2008
• Mid-Construction – October 15, 2008
• Ribbon Cutting - December 4, 2008 
• Six Month Report - June, 2009

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gound breaking – July 9, 2008

down to earth development

With our first school a resounding success, imagine1day has broken ground at our second project in the northeast of Ethiopia with a mountain of momentum.

Thanks to your generous contributions and caring support, construction is buzzing along. Out of the gates running, imagine1day is sprinting to keep pace with the committed community of Adi-Ajero to ensure a brand new school is ready for their children this fall. Already mobilized and trained is an enthusiastic Parent Teacher Association and they are busy planning and overseeing a school they know will be their own.

When imagine1day first visited this remote and isolated community, a village elder commented, "You have made this trip, nobody else has visited us in 25 years. When you go back over the mountain, please do not forget about us." Indeed, we have kept our promise and as a result of your donations, not only did imagine1day return, but it arrived with truck loads of cement, stones, beams and all the makings of a school. Soon this deserving community will have the school their children so greatly need.

donkeys to the rescue

"Many people feel donkeys have played a large role in the emancipation of women in Ethiopia"

Road intact, the terrain of Adi-Ajero still requires a bit more manoeuvring in order for the supplies you purchased to make it to the construction site. No need to worry as imagine1day's contractor has the solution; no more arduous road construction, or costly machinery; donkeys are the answer! imagine1day's respected contractor has purchased 10 donkeys to help with ease of delivery in this tricky landscape. After construction is completed, he has promised the community the donkeys as a gift. We're proud that imagine1day's partners are taking a true interest in each community. In Ethiopia, a donkey can cost at least half of a family's annual income, but are considered the most important possession. Able to carry large loads over long distances, donkeys are an integral part of the trade and transportation system. In fact, Ethiopia has the world's second largest donkey population with more than 5.2 million of the industrious animals helping families sustain livelihoods by carrying goods to and from markets. This is especially important to female led households as donkeys have enabled them to participate meaningfully in the market system and support their families. Many people feel donkeys have played a large part in the emancipation of women in Ethiopia; there is an old Amharic saying, "if a donkey can't carry it, my wife will have to." When the women of Adi Ajero learned of the plan, they understood the burden they would be released from. Maebel, a female PTA member commented, "This gift will allow the school to use fully the products of the agricultural planting planned to create income without further burdening the mothers and grandmothers of my village, it is very good." The legacy these 10 donkeys to the community school of Adi Ajero will be substantial.

school for life: an 8 year olds' experience

Although some problems are complex in Africa, imagine1day would like to say that some are very simple. Your support is the first step to enabling communities to find the solutions they need. Forget formulae for debt to GDP ratios, imagine1day has discovered how simple equations can make a difference in rural Ethiopian settings.

Our eight year old friend Daniel knows how he can help his family have a better life too. On imagine1day's visit, we asked Daniel how school impacted his life at home. Without missing a beat, he knew exactly where his lessons had come to use in his family. Addition. Subtraction. Multiplication. Daniel was proud to tell us he was first in his class in math and that he was able to help his parents with his new knowledge. In the rough, dry landscape of Adi-Ajero, eucalyptus trees and fruit-bearing cacti are valuable resources and two of the only plants that thrive naturally. By helping his parents with simple math, Daniel was able to help them determine accurately the number of trees necessary for building their shelter as well as the surplus they may be able to sell at local markets. Daniel's skills also came to good use when collecting prickly pear cactus fruit to sell at the market. Education is a powerful and valuable tool for entire families. Parents are recognizing this quickly as Daniel pointed out, "my father was very happy that I was learning such helpful things and now he saves the oil in our lamp for me to study because it is very important."

For the children and families of Adi-Ajero, this is just the beginning. We are confident that imagine1day will soon be telling you about all the other ways Daniel's education is making a difference to his village. Stay tuned.

the hard road to development

Adi-Ajero consists of five linked villages nestled between the majestic mountains about 30 kilometres from the nearest town centre of Adigudom. When imagine1day first visited this community four months ago, access meant a 2.5 kilometre hike up and over one of these mountains. It was a visit well worth the effort to meet the beautiful people of this village who welcomed an organization that would work with them to provide a primary school for their children. During the visit, the community pledged their steadfast devotion, agreeing to build a road to accommodate the transport of the materials needed to build the school. Without hesitation, they committed not only each person's labour, but continued support to the school's construction contractor. Today, this road is complete. This was no small feat.imagine1day has learned that 1,500 Adi-Ajero men and women worked in shifts of 20 for almost two months to carve the necessary road into the mountain. With simple instruments like shovels and pick axes the road came to life. They admitted they possessed no specific skills but they had ample labour to contribute and were pleased to do so. After expert advice from Woreda zonal engineers, the community continued to work to ensure each turn was safe and would support truck after truck of building supplies that you have donated through imagine1day. This road to development may have been difficult but it was a challenge Adi-Ajero tackled and accomplished. The community knows that this road is the catalyst for future self-sufficiency through expansion of their agricultural and commercial potential. This is one road that paves a direct path to a positive future.

Adi-Ajero today and tomorrow

imagine1day knows you must be as excited as we are that your school is now underway in Ethiopia. We also want to share with you how excited everyone in Adi-Ajero is right now as well. To fully take in the gravity or your gift, it's important to understand the tangible difference it will have.

35 million Ethiopians are deprived the dignity of adequate sanitation facilities and the villagers of Adi-Ajero are among them. Girls in particular are kept from attending school where latrines do not exist, as privacy and safety are important cultural concerns. Teaching children, teachers and parent teacher associations about latrines directly impacts the prevalence of parents building latrines in their own homes. The result is the increased health of entire communities. Hand in hand with sanitation is water. Clean, safe, running water. Of course this makes us happy. Now imagine you're one of the children that walk long distances each day to a hand dug well only to find it has insufficient water to fill your family's canister. Consider that without that water your school day under the hot sun means both dehydration and poor sanitary practices. Water at the touch of a tap, right at your school seems like a miracle. School is getting more and more exciting right? Now imagine, your school day is spent in a three meter square structure built of branches that is half protected from the sun by an old tarp; you teeter on a stone for a chair and your only learning resource is an old blackboard. You've made it diligently through grades one and two only to find that this is as far as your education will take you. Continuing means walking two hours each way to a neighbouring village and on top of daily chores, this trek is not permitted by your parents. But wait, generous donors half way around the world have supplied all the materials for a complete primary school right in your village that will have the capacity to teach 378 children. It has proper furniture, protective walls, a sheltering roof, and teachers newly trained in a student-centered approach to learning. School is now your favourite place to be.

When imagine1day visited Adi-Ajero, villagers repeatedly spoke of how the new school would be a palace. This comparison may at first seem grand, but in the context of what it means to the children, parents and teachers of this remote village, a palace seems quite an accurate description.

mid-construction – October 15, 2008

building excitement in Adi-Ajero

There wasn't an idle body in Adi-Ajero this summer. Your support has inspired this entire community to be a part of something big, something that will transform and improve their lives forever.

imagine1day's second community school project is 70% complete. We're on target to meet our goal to complete the construction of a four classroom school, an eight stall latrine and a water point in Adi-Ajero. Amid summer rains and a busy planting season, the community has devoted every spare moment to the construction efforts. The community's participation will contribute to the sustainability of the project for years to come.

Thank you for making school a possibility for children in Adi-Ajero.

women at work

Adi-Ajero is buzzing. People are busy planting, collecting water, carving stone and mixing cement. For the daughters, mothers, and grandmothers of the village the work is especially meaningful. The strong and able Tigrigna women play a large role in the community and their motivation is strong. Educating their children previously meant long periods of separation and worry for their safety. These factors translated to very few girls continuing their education past grade one. The approaching reality of having quality education in their backyards is fuelling their already strong work ethic. During the construction of the access road, the contractor reported that more than 70% of the labor was completed by women. He was impressed and has since made an effort to employ women as general laborers. As volunteer labor, women outnumber the men again; collecting water and carrying sand and stone to the construction site throughout the day. Summer is Tigray’s rainy season and school construction has been paired with imagine1day’s abundant fruit tree planting program on the school’s future grounds and yet again, the women were the most eager and productive of the planters.

In just over a month, the school will be open and girls have started to enrol. imagine1day has addressed the girls’ barriers to education by providing a separate latrine and convenient water points, and in return opened the door to education for many girls in Adi-Ajero.

"The new school and the new water point will be very good for my children, but it will also change my life too."
Taitu, Mother

Our construction process brought Regional water expert, Ato Haftu Shifaran to the community of Adi-Ajero. For 30 years Haftu has been working with water scarcity issues in the area. Over his engineering career he has gained valuable technical knowledge but will admit whole-heartedly that at times he just knows instinctively where water is available, “for Adi-Ajero, it was both community knowledge, and my gut feeling”. This combination led Haftu to begin digging into the damp soil just 200 meters down a hill from the school construction site. Within two meters, there was a trickle, which became a steady flow and soon a small pond had formed where just dirt had been. After much testing Haftu and imagine1day’s construction supervisor verified that the spring source had ample capacity to supply both the new school and the community’s needs. Spring development has now started and will involve the construction of concrete water containment cribs that collect water from natural seeps and pipe the water by gravity to a convenient reservoir and water point.

For now, the spring is providing convenient and plentiful water for school construction purposes. For the future, the water point will mean increased school attendance as children are no longer walking long distances to collect water for their family’s survival; increased sanitation and health benefits; and increased food security as school planting programs are now viable.

trees = real results

2,000 trees planted during construction which included 250 guava trees.

2.5 years to produce fruit that will yield about 100 kg of fruit each year.

500 birr is the expected income from each tree for the community of Adi Ajero

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ribbon cutting - adi-ajero primary school opens its doors - December 4, 2008

creating the future

On the far side of an Ethiopian mountain, hidden and forgotten, Adi-Ajero was a village that stood still in time. A cycle of poverty, unbroken by neglect, had plagued its people for generations. This year you ended that cycle, you chose not to ignore their plight. They have shown their gratitude by taking full advantage of this opportunity.

Using the skills acquired during their three days of training provided by imagine1day, the Parent Teacher Association has formed several committees to maintain and improve the school and to expand its impact on the community as a whole. The Labour Committee has already supervised the building of a school fence and coordinated the care of the 2,000 newly planted tree seedlings that you funded. The Sanitation Committee created "Friday Cleaning Day" to organize and tidy the four classrooms, latrine and school grounds instilling pride and responsibility in the students and parents. The Curriculum Committee is busy tracking the performance of the children while the Question and Answer Committee has organized an inter-school trivia competition with neighboring villages.

Meret, Adi-Ajero's Principal told imagine1day "I am anticipating a first place finish in the competition. The students' grades are greatly improved due to being free from disturbances that come from learning outdoors under a tree, as well as teachers being able to give frequent quizzes." Meret explained that previously, without desks or writing surfaces, teachers were discouraged from creating learning materials or marking tests or homework. In rural communities, retaining teachers can be difficult, but this year, despite its remote location, the teachers of Adi-Ajero are feeling fortunate with their placements. Each has taken on the task of supervising one school club. The Drama and Literature Club is collaborating with the Anti HIV/AIDS and Child Rights Club on a series of small performances that will bring awareness and fight the stigma of having a family member who has tested positive. The new Sports Club has organized Adi-Ajero's first girls' football team and together with the boys' team they are getting ready for matches with the community of Adi Keyih, a one hour walk down the mountain.

From a new Grade 3 classroom to the football pitch, the momentum in Adi-Ajero is growing. When opportunity comes along as infrequently as it does for a forgotten village like Adi-Ajero, not a single ounce is squandered. A desk given is a catalyst for change. A new latrine is an opening to girls' education. You have interrupted the cycle of poverty and for Adi-Ajero the future is something they are not just looking forward to but something they are creating for themselves.

goal keepers

Inspired by imagine1day's commitment to goal setting, the day after inauguration Adi-Ajero's Parent Teacher Association met and was eager to develop their vision, mission and objectives. On the school grounds stands a billboard listing them so that everyone can be part of accomplishing them.

vision

• Every member of the community is able to read and write.
• The school is a centre for learning that plays a leading role in implementing the educational polices and strategies of Ethiopia.
• Create students that are not job seekers but job creators.

mission

• By positively implementing the policies and strategies of the country, the school will build and satisfy the trust of the community in the power of education.
• To convince donors outside of Ethiopia to have trust in their investments.
• To devise strategies of how students can bring about positive behavioral change.

objectives

• To effectively and efficiently implement the strategies of imagine1day and the government.
• For Adi-Ajero's education package to be a model in all directions.
• By introducing new educational strategies, students' achievements will improve.
• To strengthen the positive linkages between society and the school.

spring into action

Witnessing the celebration at Adi-Ajero's newly constructed spring water system you would think that it was opening day at the world's biggest waterslide. For the children and villagers of Adi-Ajero, access to ample clean water makes a world of difference.

Fact: Clean, safe water flowing at about 20L every 2-3 minutes- that's 400L per hour, 9,600L a day. With an average village household need of 30L a day, the output is more than enough for Adi-Ajero's population of 1,500. Impact: Girmay, a farmer and father of four no longer has bad headaches from being in the sun all day without sufficient water to drink and his wife Salamawit is happy that her children will be able to practice proper hygiene and will no longer become ill from consuming contaminated water.

Fact: imagine1day has implemented a sustainable design for the water system that uses gravity and natural filtration. No pumps, no generator, no chlorine. Impact: Minimal hardware means minimal maintenance, low risk of breakage and easy water management. Fact: The water station is centrally locatd in the village and only a couple hundred meters from the school site. Impact: Children can rehydrate during recess, wash their hands after using the toilet and easily fill their buckets to water their new seedlings.

Fact: imagine1day has created a design that makes valuable use of excess water with a livestock trough and micro-irrigation outlet. Impact: Eight year old Tesfey Abraham no longer needs to walk 5 kilometers to the river with his family's cows. After micro-irrigation is complete, Adi-Ajero can plant and harvest several crops per year instead of relying on only one annual rain-fed harvest.

tekli's brave new world

When imagine1day asked Tekli Kiros, a grade 3 student at Adi-Ajero, to share with us a challenge she recently faced, her response could have been that of any child around the world. "I tripped and came very last" she said shyly as she recounted a recent school sports day where an ill-fated stone stopped her from finishing her favored 100 meter race. A small stumble like Tekli's should be all that a nine year old child should ever worry about, but Tekli's world presents her with far more challenges. As we talked more with Tekli we began to understand her daily reality.

Tekli starts her morning with the first of three daily thirty minute walks to collect river water for her family. Her breakfast consists only of a small portion of bread, 'I want more, but we do not have it", so she leaves for school still hungry. When school ends at noon, Tekli is eager for her lunch of local injera, a flatbread staple and shiro, a bean paste. Her next five hours are spent minding her family's one cow, seven goats and two beehives. They are long hours in the hot sun and although she brings along her books she told imagine1day "it is difficult to study in the heat and besides, I must look out for the fox that may hurt one of the goats." Just before dark, Tekli will arrive home to two small structures of stone and branches, one for cooking, the other for living and sleeping. Since her mother's diagnosis two years ago with breast cancer, Tekli's home responsibilities have grown substantially, as have those of her younger sister and brother. In the evenings Tekli helps her mother prepare the injera and shiro before the long day has everyone ready for some much needed rest. They have one locally made metal bed with a hay mattress and two beds made of mud to share.

Last year Tekli's family was able to harvest eight quintiles of different cereals and fifty kilograms of each lentils and linseed. The harvest although modest was enough to enable the family to survive. Due to this year's drought, the family reports not having a single thing to harvest. The drought has also affected their beehives; last year's output was nearly four kilograms of honey, this year it is half that. Tekli's father had a $200 small business loan to begin income generating activities but was forced to spend the money on his wife's treatment. The year has not been easy for anyone in Adi-Ajero or throughout Ethiopia and Tekli's story is regrettably not very different from that of other children in the community.

There is however a reason Tekli and her family are hopeful about the future. They belong to the community that you chose to help a few short months ago. The school that you supported has opened and along with it a new community water station, a latrine, and a plot of 2,000 fruit and shade tree seedlings. For Tekli and her family this means access to ample, clean water and an animal water trough that is five minutes away. Tekli's father has been employed as the school's guard and his income will help the family survive despite not having a harvest. Tekli herself is thrilled to be sitting in a real classroom and not fighting with animals or sun to study. She reports that previously she was worried that she would have to drop out of school as not having a latrine presents safety and cultural barriers for maturing girls. Despite traditional practices of early marriage Tekli's father is inspired by the new school's potential and is determined to make his daughter's full education a priority. He boasts that all of his children are now enrolled in the new school.

There is no doubt that Ethiopia's drought means that this year will continue to be a struggle for the community of Adi-Ajero but your intervention are already making a difference and will continue to as a village full of motivation and increased capacity makes plans for income generating activities and micro-irrigation. For Tekli, as should be the case for all grade three students, her biggest challenge will be to win the 100 meter race in the upcoming inter-school sports competition.

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On behalf of the imagine1day team I would like to express our sincere gratitude to you for investing in the Adi-Ajero Primary School and for helping us take important steps towards achieving our goal to bring quality primary education to all children in Ethiopia by 2020. We are having so much fun implementing our projects, getting to know our communities in Ethiopia and connecting you to what's happening on the ground.

Thank you for joining us on this incredible journey.

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A Six Month Report On Adi-Ajero's Growth

THE DREAM TEAM

In our Ribbon Cutting report, Adi-Ajero's principal Mered Radae was anticipating a first place finish at an inter-school trivia competition organized by PTA's Question and Answer Committee. Last December, a team of five of the school's top students placed second in the competition. We thought that was impressive enough, but two months later, the Adi-Ajero dream team took home the gold!

imagine1day sat down with the trivia champs for a little Q&A of our own.

"The questions were clear, which didn't bring any difficulties for us. But this was our first competition with other schools, so we had a big fear. That was our only challenge."
- Nigus Luel, age 11, grade 3

"It's all about working and studying hard. Before with all the wind and discomfort of sitting on stones at the dass school, it was a challenge to be a clever student. But after this school was built, there was no more dust and discomfort and I could focus on my exercise books. Also having more books to study made me a more clever student."
- Nigus Luel, age 11, grade 3

Last year, when Adi-Ajero was still a dass school, Nigus stood fourth at the in-school competition so he didn't qualify for the inter-school competition. This year he stood first at the in-school competition and went on to help bring his school to victory at the inter-school competition. The smallest boy with the highest marks in his grade three class, Nigus is pictured here in the centre.

"Our teachers always work hard to help us. Even our mothers and fathers-rather than making us work at home, they leave us alone and do it by themselves and give us the time to study."
- Nigus Luel, age 11, grade 3

"A temporary stage is set up outside and a lot of students will be there. A lot of followers students, brothers, sisters, family who shout 'Yay! Bravo! Great! Wow!' Like at a football game. It makes our fear go away and makes us happy to hear them cheering for us."
- Teame Micheal, age 10, grade

"It was an Environmental Science question: 'The type of food that protects us from different kinds of diseases are vegetables: true or false?' I answered 'True' and got it correct. Then the teacher asked 'The other type of food that protects us from disease can be found from animals: true or false?' It was a tricky question and the teacher was trying to get me to answer wrongly. At first I answered 'True' but I quickly changed it. It was one of the toughest questions and I was very relieved to get it right for my team."
- Goitom Hayelom, age 11, grade 2

"'For education, we need to give time. And for playing games, recreation, sport and so on, we don't have to give any time: true or false?' I said 'True,' but I got it wrong. It was a tough question, but I liked the answer. Now I take some time to play as well as study hard."
- Abebe Hetay, age 7, grade 1

"Football! It's so much better now that we have the Italian ball," he lights up, referring to the soccer balls provided with the imagine1day sports program.
- Abebe Hetay, age 7, grade 1

"Even though my parents can't read and write or really help me with my studies, they allow me the time to study and they push and encourage me to do so."
- Silas Emanel, age 10, grade 2

As part of the teachers' mission to have frequent contact with parents, Silas's mother recently spent the day observing her daughter in class. Right: Silas's mother signs a parent-teacher interview form the only way she can with her fingerprint.

"After being in this real school and winning this trivia competition, I believe that if I study hard, I can become a doctor. If those things are possible, this can also be possible."
- Goitom Hayelom, age 11, grade 2

Abebe Hetay:
"A government leader. Like the president. I want to help my family and my community. I want to build schools and develop my tabia."

Silas Emanel wants to be a pilot because:
"I want to fly in the air like the birds."

Teame Micheal wants to be a pilot because:
"I want to leave the rural area and go see downtown."

Nigus Luel wants to be a pilot because:
"Coming from a rural area, becoming a pilot is a challenge that will make me proud and happy."

AIDS AWARENESS

Do you remember what grade you were in when you giggled, beet red, through the gym class unit about the birds and the bees? For children in Ethiopia, sex education is no laughing matter and at Adi-Ajero it is delivered very early on. The Child's Rights Club recently teamed up with the HIV Prevention Club to perform a play about the transmission and prevention of the AIDS virus. In the audience were all of the students, starting right from grade one, as well their parents. The PTA recognized a lack of awareness in the community about the transmission of HIV and a stigmatization of those infected. As grade two teacher Milashu Abay, told us, "People believed they could get the disease by kissing on the cheek or shaking hands. On the other hand, parents who were HIV positive would sometimes engage in risky behavior, like using a blade to shave their face and then using the same blade to shave their child's head. Now because of the play, they have a better understanding of how the disease is spread." The audience also learned about condom use and the risks involved with extramarital sex. Your investment in Adi-Ajero's school clubs is not only enriching the academic interests of students, but also fostering a new generation whose children are much less likely to be orphaned by AIDS.

Following is a poem inspired by the play:

DEDICATION, NOT JUST DICTATION

When we ask Milashu how the drought is affecting student life at Adi-Ajero, she admits it has been difficult. There have been five permanent dropouts due to migration and one child who fell ill and relocated to another community to receive medical treatment. Attendance has been fluctuating as well. On a given day, there will be 30 students instead of the usual 50 in class. With basic survival currently surpassing all other needs, parents rely on their children to keep livestock while they relocate in search of labor. Students will spend between one day to two weeks working at home, and then come back to school. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the extremely dedicated teachers at Adi-Ajero offer weekly tutorials and extra help for students coming back to school.

Siyom Mekonnen, grade two student who slipped from 6th place in his class to 10th because he had to stay home and keep cattle. He's studying hard to get back up to at least 7th place.

In some cases, an intervention becomes necessary. Three female students left the rural community to work as servants in town. Milashu has gone to the family homes of the girls and negotiated with their parents to bring them back. When parents tell her that they need their daughter to help them out with some money, Milashu explains that droughts will pass, and that their daughter's education is of utmost importance for the long run.

"If she gets an education, the temporary problems of droughts won't be such an issue," Milashu says. "Rather than sending their daughter I tell them to solve this private problem by looking for labor themselves and let the girl come back to school." Milashu has succeeded in convincing one family to bring their daughter back, and has been promised that the other two will come back after a temporary leave. She will be waiting with open arms and extra help to catch them up when they do.

GOAL CHECK-IN

Six months ago we showed you the PTA's billboard listing their Vision, Mission and Objectives for their new school. We're tracking their progress every step of the way. Here's the update:

Despite the daily hardships of families in Adi-Ajero, their community school continues to be regarded as a palace, and education has become increasingly valued. What has changed? Teacher Milashu explains:

Remember 10-year old Tekli Kiros, the grade three student whose mother had breast cancer and whose father was forced to spend his small business loan on his wife's treatment? Today Mrs. Kiros is doing better. She is no longer bedridden and is often around the school, taking her husband's shift as the school guard while he is away working for the government safety net program. Mr. Kiros receives 70kg of sorghum in exchange for labor, which has brought the family up from two meals per day to three. Tekli still reminisces about better times before the drought when her family harvested their own grain, but she says that if her father were not employed at the school, migration would be the next and last resort.

Tekli Kiros, grade three student.

Mr. Kiros is still committed to Tekli's full education and pushes all three of his daughters to prioritize learning. Since the ribbon cutting, the Kiros family has even moved to be closer to the school. Mr. Kiros is managing things at home as much as possible, and his three daughters are slowly improving in their studies. His eldest, Tefawit, is 13 years old and in grade three with Tekli. She is a high achiever and helps Tekli and their little sister Belaynish who is a struggling grade two student. The two weaker Kiros sisters also take advantage of the Tuesday tutorials to keep up as much as they can.

Like us, you might be wondering what kind of behaviors students had that propelled the PTA to create a goal to change them. "Some students used to come with knives, some with sticks. They would try to hit us and some even tried to stab the teachers," explains Milashu. "Many also just came to school to pass the time and avoid working at home. We created the mission to bring about a positive change in them-to show them how to act like students and to show them the real reasons why they should come to school."

In some schools, imagine1day has seen teachers use sticks and sometimes rocks to control students. When we ask about the Adi-Ajero teachers' disciplinary methods, the answer is clear and logical: using sticks to discipline students and expecting them not to bring weapons to school sends a mixed message. Instead, teachers resolve conflict by sitting students down and talking the problem through. In turn they have peaceful, respectful students. "If students were hit at Adi-Ajero, they wouldn't come back to class. Their self-worth is respected and in turn they value themselves," says Milashu.

Nine year-old Solomon Berhe is a student in Teacher Teklay's grade three class. He talked to us about his own big changes since school became a place he could focus in.

"Before, I didn't know all the alphabet letters. All the other students knew them but I didn't because I didn't study hard. I didn't know why I was coming to school because I wasn't very bright. At the dass school, while the teacher was teaching, I would go out and play."

"Now I am more alert, and I know the reasons to come to school. In grade one I was 39th out of 63. In second grade I was 24th, and now I'm at 20th out of 65. I plan to stand 16th by the end of this year and I'm studying very hard to get there."

"The reason I go to school now is to gain knowledge about everything. If you have knowledge, you can change yourself from being poor to rich. When you live in the rural areas, you depend very much on the rain, but if you have knowledge you can be employed somewhere and receive a salary instead of depending on the rain."

"I want to be a building construction engineer so I can employ many people and build schools everywhere."

Solomon was recently awarded a book for taking the best care of his tree seedlings. All nine of his assigned seedlings survived and he received a book from the principal as a prize.

The Active Learning training that teachers received at Adi-Ajero has inspired the following strategies to improve students' achievements:

Impact of these strategies:

• Compared with the dass school, students have been much more focused and thus are performing better.

• Despite absences due to drought, students' results have improved in the last 6 months.

THE TRIALS OF TREES

imagine1day and Adi-Ajero Community School have been doing our best to ensure the survival of the 500 shade trees and the 1440 fruit-bearing tree seedlings you supplied six months ago. Counting on the spring-fed water system we constructed to nourish these seedlings proved more ambitious than anticipated. With the slow dry up of the spring caused by severely low rain fall over the past two years, the steadfast students at Adi-Ajero used a nearby pond to nurture their trees, and have been bringing water from home for their own consumption.

Although the pond also has had a tendency to dry up, 370 shade trees and 551 fruit-bearing trees have survived and are looking healthy. Learning from this experience, imagine1day is taking extra steps to ensure seedling success in future projects and has put micro irrigation-fed planting plans on hold at Adi-Ajero until after this year's upcoming rain season, when the spring will be replenished.

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Thank you for investing in the future of the talented and bright students of Adi-Ajero Primary School. We can't be more impressed with their achievements in the first six months of attending their new school. We'll update you again in six months.

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