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.

MORE THAN JUST AN ACTIVITY

To show what an important role sports and art play in imagine1day's schools in Ethiopia, an interschool competition was held in the town of Adigudom from February 26th to 28th, 2010. Over a thousand people attended the competition to watch 195 students with 27 teachers from 27 imagine1day schools compete in a variety of sport and art events.

The competition included both male and female volleyball, soccer, 1,500 and 3,000 metre runs, traditional wrestling, a question and answer competition for Grades 1 to 8 and a music contest.

"My parents were very happy I was selected to be in the Question and Answer competition", said Muezti Fisseha, a student from Que'en in Grade 3 (click here to watch an interview with Muetzi). "My parents did everything they could to help. My family knows how important it was for me to come and how important education is. They made me food and gave me some money to come." Considering how little her family has to give, this support is incredible.

for the very first time

Before taking part in the competition, children had already competed in cluster competitions at their own individual schools. "At the cluster level, students were chosen who were already known to have a level of talent," says Sapna Dayal, Executive Director of imagine1day. "For Ethiopians from remote rural communities, this would be expressed as "we see her run a lot, she must be fast."

For most students, this was the first time they had ever met children from communities outside their own. Lulseged, imagine1day's Community Development Officer in Ethiopia described the event as "a platform that opened [the student's] eyes to an entirely new world and widened their scope in a way that strengthened their commitment to education. For almost 75% of our students who participated in the competition, it was their first time seeing Adigudom (their own capital town)."

The children had the competitive spirit in them from their previous competitions at their own schools, but the element of the unknown created a sense of excitement and anticipation that was palpable in Adigudom. Before the event began, imagine1day organised an opening ceremony, where the children all dressed up in new uniforms and marched down the main street of Adigudom, shutting it down for a period of celebration. Over one thousand spectators came out to watch the march and celebrate the event.

pride for the future

Not only was this event inspiring for the children involved, it served as an example to the government of Ethiopia about how to engage their nation's children. "I was in Ethiopia this past October and our team is always discussing what we're doing to encourage and enhance the level of commitment in these communities towards education. The imagine1day team wanted to show the families with children enrolled in school that education is about more than just attending classes, it's about engaging the students. The Youth & Sport office of Ethiopia partnered with us, providing referees and project managers to help with the event. It turned into a joint effort, strengthening a relationship we will continue to build going forward. Being connected to the Youth & Sport office helps us raise awareness about children in our schools who are especially talented," says Sapna.

When asked what value she feels competition brings to Ethiopian children, Sapna responds without hesitation: "Pride. Pride in being chosen to be a part of the competition for their talents. Pride in being able to represent their community. The feeling of possibility that is born when parents see their children demonstrating their gifts." For Lulseged, the inspiration this competition gave provided the most value. "The biggest goal of this competition was to inspire our students to work hard and be proud to represent their school in the areas of education and sports," he says. "Eventually, they can achieve something greater and represent their schools in competitions in other districts."

As far as plans for another competition in the future, there will be more events down the road. "We saw the value it brought to the community, so yes, there will be another competition in the future." Next time around, imagine1day would like to see the government take an even greater part in organizing and implementing the event, making it something the Youth & Sport office can initiate in the future. Sapna explains a competition like this has not existed until now. "Ethiopia's education is very basic. We want to expand the breadth of experience we're giving the children and encourage their development."

it all started with a school

For the children, they see the far reaching effects of education and how it can change their lives. Muezti, the Grade 3 student, saw how education could change the way an Ethiopian family operates. "Many people do not know about family planning because of a lack of education," she says. "If you are educated, you will know how to plan for a family." She shrugs her shoulders and looks down. "If you're not educated, you'll spend too much money and not enough for the food harvest. Later on, you'll have empty pockets and nothing to eat." The look in her eyes says Muezti has experienced this first hand.

For many spectators, the most inspiring events were the 1,500 and 3,000-meter races. "I'm a runner and I could feel the nerves in my belly when the children were on the start line," says Sapna. "Running is so connected to what their country has been successful in already. It was very exciting to see them race. The music and dance competitions were beautiful as well. They demonstrated just how smart and talented these children are."

For children like Tsedel Arefel, her approach to education has been expanded and enriched, thanks to the Interschool Sport and Art Competition. "Education isn't just about numbers and reading, it's changing my attitude and the way I think," she says. "I want to change the attitude towards education within my own community." (Click here to watch an interview with Tsedel) When asked what she imagines one day, she replies: "I imagine one day when all girls are educated." The confidence and joy she feels is evident in her smile and her eyes. Education and sports are inspiring these children by showing them the influence they can have and giving them hope for a better future.

It all starts with a school.