This month, we celebrate a story of new beginnings, transformation, and resilience. On September 25, 2025, a dream that once seemed impossible became a reality: the official inauguration of Ledi Cheketa High School in Berbere district, Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

For decades, children in Cheketa walked more than 20 kilometers to reach secondary schools in distant towns—an impossible journey for many, especially girls. The result was predictable: high dropout rates, particularly among girls and students from low-income families, early marriages, and shattered dreams. However, today, thanks to the extraordinary community commitment, government partnership, the support of the Costa Foundation, and Imagine1day, the children of Berbere no longer have to choose between safety and education.

The Ledi Cheketa High School project started with a bold vision: to give every child, no matter their gender or background, the chance to learn, grow, and succeed. Construction began in February 2025 and finished in just five months, driven by a strong community that refused to give up on its children’s future.

  • 8 fully furnished classrooms meeting Oromia Education Bureau standards
  • 3 science laboratories (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
  • A modern library block filled with reference materials and study space
  • Dedicated MHM (Menstrual Hygiene Management) rooms for girls
  • WASH facilities with clean water points, inclusive for children with disabilities
  • 4 gender-segregated latrines constructed for boys and girls, as well as male and female teachers, designed to be inclusive and accessible for persons with disabilities
  • A guardhouse
  • 7.5 km protective fence enclosing a safe and secure campus

All this was made possible with a total investment of 48.9 million ETB, of which 7 million ETB came directly from community contributions in cash; an inspiring example of the power of local ownership.

The inauguration was a colorful celebration filled with a warm welcome by the community, school community, and local, regional, and federal government stakeholders, a very moving poem, traditional music, cultural performances, and pride that radiated from every face. Distinguished guests included:

  • His Excellency Dr. Tola Beriso, Head of the Oromia Education Bureau
  • Dr. Seid Aman, Country Director of Imagine1day
  • Dr. Ahmed Abda, Imagine1day Board Member
  • Dr. Berehane Meskel Tena, Meda Welabu University President
  • Dr. Yohannis Wogasso, Chief Executive for Educational Programs and Quality Improvement at the Ministry of Education
  • Amin Juldi, Oromia diaspora Affairs head
  • Mr. Abduliekim Aliyi, Zonal Administrative Head
  • Mr. Ahmedin Mohammed, District Administrative Head

In his keynote address, Dr. Seid Aman congratulated everyone and expressed heartfelt gratitude to all partners, including the diaspora, whose collective efforts made this milestone possible. He reminded the audience that the construction and inauguration of the school is not an end but a beginning, just like a beehive without bees holds no life, a school without students and commitment remains incomplete. He called on the community to send their children to school and support them in every way, urged the school community to work hand in hand to make the most of this new opportunity, and encouraged partners to continue standing with Imagine1day to reach more unreached communities in remote areas.

Dr. Tola Beriso, in his closing remark, congratulated all on the successful inauguration of Ledi Cheketa High School and expressed deep gratitude for the warm welcome extended by the community. He offered special thanks to Dr. Seid Aman for his unwavering dedication to giving back to his community and for his tireless efforts to transform Ethiopia’s education sector, a mission that, he emphasized, requires the collaboration of everyone. Dr. Tola reminded the gathering that a school is not an end in itself but a means to unlock the boundless potential of students. He called on the community, teachers, students, leaders, and partners at every level to work together in shaping this school into a true center of excellence. To reaffirm his commitment, he promised to address some of the remaining infrastructural needs, ensuring that Cheketa High School can fully serve the promise it was built upon.

All the distinguished guests pledged to continue playing their part in supporting Cheketa High School with every resource and influence they can offer. They reaffirmed their commitment to stand alongside Imagine1day in its noble mission of ensuring that every child in Ethiopia has access to equitable, quality education. Their promise was not only to this school, but to the future of countless children whose dreams depend on the doors of education being opened wide.

This academic year, 138 students have already registered in grade 9. Among them are 24 out-of-school children who had previously dropped out due to distance and danger. Today, they are back in the classroom, with renewed dreams of becoming doctors, teachers, and leaders.

The opening of Cheketa High School;

  • Will reduce dropout rates from 12% to 2%
  • Will reduce early marriage rates from 9% to 1.5%
  • Will improve the Gender Parity Index from 0.6 to 0.9

For the first time, parents are witnessing a future where education is not a privilege but a right, and where girls and boys alike can walk into a classroom just minutes from home.

The story of Ledi Cheketa High School is not just about buildings. It is about people. The community donated 7.5 hectares of land, dug trenches to extend 1.2 kilometers of water pipelines, and worked side by side with builders to see the dream through.

Ledi Cheketa High School is a promise that every child, especially girls, can sit in a classroom, dream boldly, and write their own future.

Imagine1day is proud to stand with communities like Cheketa, where hope is stronger than hardship, and unity builds the future. Together, we are not just building schools, we are building nations.

Thank You to our supporters, partners, and the resilient community of Berbere: this milestone belongs to you. Every desk, every book, every smile in Cheketa’s classrooms is a reflection of your unwavering belief that education changes everything.

Let us continue to walk this journey together toward a future where every child in our country, Ethiopia, has access to quality education, free from barriers, and full of possibilities.

Empowering Children Through Assistive Devices and Inclusive Education

Imagine1day, together with partners, provided assistive devices and inclusive education support to children with disabilities across target districts. Through a comprehensive disability mapping, screening, and diagnosis exercise involving 265 professionals and volunteers, over 2,137 children (926 girls, 1,211 boys) were reached with various assistive devices, including eyeglasses, hearing aids, crutches, wheelchairs, braille kits, white canes, and sign-language resources.

Distribution spanned six districts (Nedjo, Lalo Asabi, Gimbi, Leka Dulecha, Wayu Tuka, and Kuyu) and three adjacent zones, ensuring wide coverage and equity of access.

In addition, 1,598 children received medical checkups, including eye diagnoses, medications, and surgeries coordinated with Jimma University. To support learning, 300 reams of braille paper were supplied to 50 visually impaired children, and puzzles and learning kits were distributed to nearly 500 children with intellectual challenges.

   

A major milestone was the establishment of four new Inclusive Education Resource Centers in Wayu Tuka, Gimbi, Nedjo, and Boji Dirmaji districts. These centers are equipped with assistive devices, teaching aids, and modern furniture—including smart TVs and desktop computers—expected to serve 170 children with disabilities and neighboring schools, fostering inclusion and equal participation in education.

This holistic intervention creates supportive environments where every child can thrive alongside their peers, beyond equipping children with the tools they need to learn.

Story: Rising Out of Loss, Embracing Hope: Zewde’s New Beginning

“Tomorrow will be bright,” says 11-year-old Zewde Wase, her eyes filled with hope. “I am learning to become a doctor to help people who are hurt, so they don’t have to suffer the way my family suffered.”

Zewde heading to school

Born into a large family with four brothers and one sister, her parents had big dreams of educating their children and seeing them succeed. “Our families were our everything. They worked tirelessly, often walking five hours on foot to collect and sell wood, just to feed and educate us.” Zewde recalls.

But tragedy struck when tribal conflict turned their lives upside down.

Zewde says, “Rebels locked my mother inside our house and burned her alive. I also lost my father because of the conflict. That day, we became pure orphans.”

Fear swallowed the young siblings. “We lost our caregiver, we missed our parents’ love, and I had to drop out of school,” she remembers. “We hid in the forest for many days and nights without food and water, always afraid the fate of our mother and father would happen to us too.”

Just when life seemed unbearable, hope returned. “Thanks to God, we found a good-hearted mother,” Zewde smiles. Though not related by blood, Endewa Dishu, their caregiver, welcomed the children into her home and heart. “She takes care of us as her own children,” she says gratefully.

Zewde with her caregiver, Endewa

Then came another turning point: Imagine1day intervened in their kebele with the IHOPE project of Plan International, funded by ECHO to protect and support vulnerable children. “Imagine1day’s workers came to my home and enrolled me back in school,” Zewde recalls joyfully.

Through the Accelerated Education Program (AEP), which is part of the project, Zewde received a full package of scholastic materials: exercise books, pens, pencils, a ruler, a school bag, and even a chair. “I restarted the learning I had stopped because of the conflict,” she says. “Now, my favorite subject is English.”

The IHOPE project goes beyond AEP. “I also get psychosocial support to recover from anxiety and depression,” Zewde explains. “Through socio-emotional learning, I am learning how to love and build good relationships with my friends and my community again. I am very grateful to ECHO, Plan International, and Imagine1day for their support.”

For her caregiver, the transformation has been life-changing. “Because of the IHOPE project, my daughter got an opportunity for education,” says Endewa Dishu with gratitude. “Now she has hope, and so do we. I couldn’t be grateful to ECHO, Plan International, and Imagine1day for the life-changing opportunity.”

 

 

Story: IHOPE Project Rekindling Dreams Beyond the Scars of Conflict

“I am studying to become a teacher to educate my community and create a better understanding of the value of education,” says 13-year-old Zenebech Belew, a young girl from Aypapu Kebele in Dangur District, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia, whose life was turned upside down by conflict but who now dares to dream again.

Zenebech says, “My mother, father, one brother, and two uncles were all killed in the conflict that happened in our kebele. Our house was burned down, and my sibling and I were displaced. Suddenly, we were left without parents, without a home, and without hope.”

With nowhere to go, Zenebech and her sibling moved in with their elderly grandmother. But the burden was immense. “My grandmother is very old. She can do nothing but feel empathy for me,” she explains. “As a child, I had to do many things beyond my capacity. The work and psychological pressure were too heavy for me to carry.”

Amid the hardship, Zenebech heard news that would change her life. “One day, I heard that the IHOPE project was coming to our kebele to support vulnerable children through child protection and education,” she says. “That day became a special day for me.”

Soon, social workers and officers from Imagine1day visited her. “They came to talk to me, and for the first time, I felt like someone saw me, someone cared about my pain,” Zenebech shares. “They helped me overcome my mental health problems and paved the way for me to start a better life.”

Through the IHOPE project of Plan International, funded by ECHO and implemented by Imagine1day, Zenebech received the child protection and Accelerated Education Program (AEP).  services. This gave her the safety and support she desperately needed.

“I was so pleased when I got the child protection and AEP. For the first time since losing my parents, I received full scholastic material support. That gave me hope.”

With education back in her life, Zenebech’s dreams began to grow. As she reflects on her journey from grief to resilience, Zenebech’s words carry both gratitude and determination: “I want to thank ECHO, Plan International, and Imagine1day for giving me back my future. Because of them, I can see a tomorrow where I am not broken, but strong.”

 

Staff: Gosaye Gizaw, Zonal Program Coordinator

Gosaye Gizaw has been a committed and inspiring member of Imagine1day since 2021, serving as the Zonal Program Coordinator for East Bale and Bale Zones in the Southeastern Ethiopia Region.

He began his education at Meliyou Buruka Primary School and continued at Batu Terara Comprehensive Secondary School. Driven by an enduring passion for knowledge, he pursued higher education at Addis Ababa University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in History and Cultural Heritage, and later advanced his expertise with a Master of Business Administration from the Lead Star College of Management and Leadership Academy.

Over the course of 17 years, Gosaye has served his community and country in a wide range of impactful leadership roles across government and educational sectors. His contributions span from teacher and school principal to senior leadership positions such as Head of the Bale Zone Civil Service and Good Governance Office, Head of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Office, and Head of the Bale Zone Education Office. His leadership reached even greater heights as Chief Cabinet Member of the Bale Zone, Oromia Region, where he championed initiatives that touched thousands of lives.

Gosaye is known for his flexibility, reliability, and exceptional time management skills, but what sets him apart is his unwavering work ethic, passion, and self-motivation. He has consistently demonstrated the ability to overcome challenges with vision and determination, turning obstacles into opportunities for growth and progress.

Through his leadership at Imagine1day and beyond, Gosaye continues to be a driving force for meaningful change, empowering communities, strengthening education, and inspiring the next generation of leaders in Ethiopia.