OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH
The story of our work runs deeper than the bricks we lay and the books we supply.
We imagine a day when we’ve put ourselves out of a job because leaders, young
and old and in all corners of Ethiopia, have transformed their education system.
Discover how we’re working with our partners to achieve our goals.
OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH
HOLISTIC & INCLUSIVE APPROACH
Since its inception, imagein1day has gone from strength-to-strength as it developed and refined it program. The learnings and experience from the early years let to the development of a holistic and inclusive model, involving a three-year partnership with communities and a focus on investing in people.
Through leadership and training, imagine1dat mobilizes communities to champion education, increase enrollment and take ownership and responsibility for their school. Professional development training for teachers ensures they have the right skills and techniques to educate effectively. School construction and supplies give children a safe, comfortable environment to learn in. Management training means schools and their parent-teacher associations are sustaining the transformation imagine2day has helped to create.
This holistic model is executed by imagine1day’s direct implementation team, les entirely by Ethiopian staff, who provide the cultural insight and accountability on imagine1day’s commitments.
We strategically partner with people who
have a strong vision for their future.
imagine1day didn’t start because we saw a problem – we got to work because we were inspired by a nation ready for prosperity. Working within the public education system, we align each of our projects with Ethiopia’s current and long term education priorities, fitting perfectly with their vision of a future where all children have the chance to go to school. By working this way, we’re helping to create systemic and lasting change.
We get our hands dirty.
Our rock star team of education experts travel to the most remote communities in rural Ethiopia to implement our projects hands on. As direct implementers, we’re able to track every dollar we spend and measure the result of each donation we receive.
We spend a minimum of three years
on a project to make sure the impacts of our
efforts are sustainable.
We don’t believe in quick fix or band-aid solutions. Join us on a three year journey and discover what our model of development looks like.
We move the system forward.
While education is a national priority for Ethiopia, we’ve learned that the key decisions and bottlenecks that impact schools and children occur at a district level.
For this reason we implement our projects across districts to ensure our closest partnerships are with committed administrators, communities, and educators who
are truly moving the dial.
DURING YEAR ONE WE…
Select our partners and choose where to work. And that doesn’t mean dropping a pin on a map. We collaborate with the federal and regional governments to determine which districts are priorities. From there, we create plans with district and community leaders. We learn what really matters to them and what may be standing in their way.
CREATING A FOUNDATION TO THRIVE.
At the heart of every project are the people who will drive its success. Our priority is to build strong relationships with key influencers, and to develop their ability to inspire community ownership and a culture of education.
BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP.
In communities where schools and infrastructure are required, we work with Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) to mobilize cash and in-kind contributions. Across all schools in a district, we equip classrooms with supplies and kick off teacher training programs.
We invest in leaders.
Our leadership development programs catalyze our projects. They transform a traditional model of aid and equip our partners with communication tools to set
goals, overcome obstacles and create results they never imagined possible.
DURING YEAR TWO WE…
Focus on elevating the quality of education through continued teacher and PTA training. Sports competitions, sanitation initiatives and awareness campaigns are all signs of a community taking ownership and a school becoming the heartbeat of change.
FUNDING AND INCOME SUPPORT
To support future school maintenance and programming, we provide seed funding and business training to assist communities in establishing revenue generating activities.
MONITORING PROGRESS
We’re in the field almost every day, and we also conduct bi-annual monitoring and evaluation with our partners, which helps us identify root causes of challenges and build upon successes.
We set up districts and communities for future success.
After two years of a committed partnership, year three culminates with results that point to transformational change and empowered communities who are creating and forwarding initiatives on their own.
DURING YEAR THREE WE…
Focus on communicating with leaders to ensure they have the capacity and confidence to carry their schools forward. We work on succession plans and goal setting with school principals, the PTA and district administrators. We also conduct a final year of teacher training to solidify the practical applications of various teaching methodologies. Finally we evaluate whether it’s appropriate for us to transition out, or if staying a little longer will improve the long term success of a project.
When it’s time to phase out, we hand over full ownership of schools to their PTAs and to the district education offices. But we don’t just walk away. We stay in close contact and continue to monitor our projects and add continued guidance and support where needed.