Building a school is the easy part. Sustaining a quality learning environment that addresses the needs of girls and boys requires vision, commitment and partnership.

MEET PRINCIPAL MIHRETEAB

This past September, the Adi-Ajero Primary School welcomed a new principal. Ato Mihreteab Gebremedhin previously ran a primary school in a more fertile area of Tigray in Northern Ethiopia. Having inherited Adi-Ajero at a time when the community was struggling with an extended drought, he has been continually inspired by the parents' commitment to educating their children: "They have little for themselves and yet each family is contributing 1.5kg of grain to sell," he beams, "and they pledge to support us in any way they can." With 1,822 households, this adds up to 2,733kg of grain to sell for funds that the school will use to replenish books, stationary and sports materials. Principal Mihreteab's personal vision for the students is to have them "become the highest achievers among all other schools in the district, region and beyond."

DEDICATION OVERCOMES DROUGHT

At the height of the drought a couple of months ago, imagine1day's Community Development Officer, Lulseged Beyene investigated the food security situation and the effects it may have on our students at Adi-Ajero. He too was astonished to find a community devoted to education at a time where basic survival can be compromised. "I met mothers who told me that no matter what happens, they will not pull their children out of school, and the students themselves echoed their dedication to learning. They really understand that with an education, they will be able to break the cycle of dependency on the land."

Fortunately, the Ethiopian government was able to mitigate the threat of food insecurity at Adi-Ajero using two key programs: the Early Warning System, which provides temporary emergency food relief; and the Product Safety Net program, wherein citizens protect communal land by trading their labour for food or money. Labourers will partake in such public works as water conservation and protecting forests, fields and mountains against soil erosion. Earnings from these works prevent families from selling off their household assets to feed themselves, and have been a great contributing factor to Adi-Ajero's recent climb in attendance.

THREE CHEERS FOR SPORTS

Ethiopia is famous for its runners. Both Adi-Ajero's boys' and girls' track teams recently competed against the imagine1day-supported school Abada. The boys won the 200m race and the girls were victorious in the 100m. imagine1day asked some of the Adi-Ajero students about their favourite activities and how the sport materials you provided have been helping them develop.

Even the teachers have been getting in on the fun...

GETTING CREATIVE WITH READING AND WRITING MATERIALS

Teachers at Adi-Ajero are pleased to report that since receiving reading corners filled with books and stationary materials to encourage children to express themselves on paper, students are showing a great increase in their interest in literacy. "They ask a lot of questions while they read books; they're thirsty to know more," says Teacher Genet. "They especially like to draw or copy pictures from the books and write the name of the object or creature or body part to remember it," adds Teacher Teklay.

Thank you for investing in the steadfast students of Adi-Ajero Primary School. With the help of their dedicated parents, teachers and you, they are able to run with their dreams.