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.

GROUNDBREAKING FOR A NEW FUTURE

A groundbreaking can be understood to mean something markedly new, exciting, something no one else has done. It can also be a person with a shovel, modestly unearthing the soil, making way for development. In this case, it is both.

Last week imagine1day visited the site of your school, the first project, Seffo Maialekti community school. The entire village was there to greet us. Among them, 287 girls and boys standing atop a picturesque Tigray mountaintop, singing together amid diligently practiced outbursts of 'thank you imagine1day' evokes emotion and affirms purpose that is unparalleled. Beaming excitement and hopeful smiles, the children surrounded by parents, teachers and elders welcomed us, and invited us to celebrate with them the first day of school construction.

That afternoon, each partner took a shovel into their hand and symbolically secured earth between stone to mark the foundation. A village elder first, full of pride and patience, followed by education officials from every level of government and then, imagine1day's president, smiling ear to ear, dug into the soil on your behalf and handed the shovel to a teacher and then a child. The school was underway.

The village elders commented that the groundbreaking was the first time so many of the community had all gathered together. That day, for a school, for their children's future, young and old gathered to welcome the school that would clearly be the pride and priority of each person. Sitting together during the ceremony, we heard heartfelt presentations detailing everyone's commitment to the construction and sustainability of the community school. "We understand what this means for our village and we will do everything we can to ensure success" expressed a community leader. This community, as 'behind' as it may seem to some, was far ahead in knowing where their priorities lay, where their focus was best held; their children came first.

With honor, imagine1day accepted, on your behalf, the astounding gratitude of this inspiring community. The dancing, singing, presentations by officials, elders, parents and children, followed by traditional meals and coffee ceremonies left us humbled by such a show of hospitality. The demonstration of spirit and hope appropriately marked the first day of construction.

But the action has just begun; during this process imagine1day will be describing to you what we can only imagine will be exponential excitement as we celebrate the opening of the school you invested in. The impact is real, it is soon, and we want you to experience it with us.

A groundbreaking day, indeed.