Imagine1day hosted the National Joint Review Mission in Southern Ethiopia’s Gardulla and Konso zones. This event brought together members of the Education Technical Working Group (ETWG), which includes the Ministry of Education, UN agencies, representatives of Donor communities, and national and International NGOs to review the achievements of the EU-funded UNICEF project titled “Restoring Essential Educational Services to Conflict-Affected Children in Ethiopia.” Southern Ethiopian Education Office, Konso Zone Education Office, Gardulla Konso zone chief administrators, and district-level education offices have also attended the mission.
This USD 26.668 million investment initiative focuses on improving access to quality education for conflict-affected children. The mission facilitated discussions on best practices, challenges faced, and strategies for sustaining educational improvements in these regions beyond highlighting the project’s positive impacts on local communities.
Through collaborative efforts, the program has successfully addressed educational disruptions caused by conflict, ensuring that vulnerable children have the resources and support they need to thrive academically. The event has created an opportunity to reinforce commitments among stakeholders and to outline future goals aimed at further enhancing educational access and quality in Ethiopia.
Project Overview
It is a three-year project running from December 2022 to November 2025 that targets children impacted by conflict across the Afar, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Oromia, Southern Ethiopia, and Tigray regions. It employs the BETE (My Home) approach of education, child protection, and skills development pillars integration.
During the mission, the ETWG visited two selected schools to review their progress and initiatives. (1) Gato Yanda Primary School in Derashe district, the total enrollment stands at 900 students, including 405 girls, with 180 out-of-school children (60 girls) enrolled in the Accelerated Education Program (AEP). (2) Gato Lango Primary School, also in Derashe district, has a total enrollment of 1,400 students, with 669 girls and 150 out-of-school children (67 girls) participating in the AEP. These schools exemplify the project’s commitment to increasing educational access for conflict-affected children.
Key Achievements
The project has led to significant progress in education and support for children in Southern Ethiopia. A total of 186 educators were trained on inclusive education practices, gender-responsive pedagogy, and child protection, enhancing the overall quality of teaching. In addition, 11,659 children received school kits, which inspired many to return to school. 1,353 learners (596 girls) have completed the Accelerated Education Programs (AEP), allowing them to transition into conventional schooling.
Moreover, 3,997 children accessed Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services, fostering emotional resilience and building community support. The program also identified 516 children for comprehensive support, which included health and legal services. To promote inclusivity, 23 children received assistive devices, enhancing their learning experiences. Training was conducted for 71 school management committees, focusing on effective school improvement planning. 
Life skills education was a significant component, benefiting 2,462 students and equipping them with crucial competencies for their futures. Nine gender clubs were established to promote gender equality and facilitate inclusive discussions among students. To further academic performance, 605 girls participated in remedial classes. Awareness initiatives reached 3,949 individuals, educating them on safe reporting channels for sexual exploitation and abuse. The ongoing efforts include the reconstruction and rehabilitation of six schools, which will feature new classrooms and essential facilities, contributing to a more supportive learning environment.
Looking Ahead: 2024/2025 Plans
As we move forward, the project will continue to support approximately 1,850 out-of-school children through the AEP and life skills training. Additional initiatives will focus on enhancing teacher training, providing MHPSS services, and completing the ongoing school rehabilitation efforts by the end of this academic year.
The National Joint Review Mission underscored the vital progress made in improving educational access and support for conflict-affected children in Southern Ethiopia. Imagine1day remains committed to fostering safe, inclusive, and quality education for all children in the region.
Story
Girls’ education as a means to end Harmful Traditional Practices (HTP)
Selamawit attending class
“Thanks to the EU, UNICEF, and imagine1day my long-lived dream of going to school is realized after years of longing,” says Selamawit Azmach a 15-year-old Accelerated Education Program (AEP) student in Gato Yanda Primary School in Derashe district of South Ethiopia region, Ethiopia. Selamawit was raised by her stepmother following her parents’ divorce when she was only three. Life wasn’t easy for her. She was the one who did all the household chores instead of going to school like her peers.
Selamawit with her friends in school
Selamawit says, “My stepmother was so hard on me. She never treated me and my half-siblings equally. She let me stay at home and support her while sending her kids to school. I used to feel so tired out of working the whole day. I cried all the time that I had nobody to care about me when she beat me. I never imagined that I would get the chance to education.” The EU project of UNICEF Imagine1day has been implementing changed Selamat’s reality for the better at the time she didn’t expect.
“I moved back to my birthplace to live with my grandparents while my father died. My grandparents also denied me going to school as they didn’t know the value of education and there was a belief in the community that schooling is only for boys. I was supporting my grandparents by selling ‘Cheka’ local alcoholic drink and I faced harassment. I had even tried to commit suicide but imagine1day workers convinced my grandparents to send me to school. I now am happily attending my education,” says beaming Seamawit. Selamawit and her fellow girls in the Gato Yano community have broken the vicious cycle of illiteracy. None food Item (NFI), scholastic material, and sanitary pad provision are also part of the project.
Selamawit says, “I don’t want to waste this opportunity I got after all the adversities I have experienced. I am studying hard, and I ranked second in my class. I want to be a role model for girls in remote areas like my community. I want to be a girls’ rights activist while I complete my education.”
A girl empowered against Barriers of Disability – Hagaya’s Story
Hagaya planting tree
“Thanks to EU, UNICEF, and imagine1day I will no longer worry about how to manage my menstruation. As a person with a disability, I used to have a very tough physical and emotional experience every month I had my period. The fact that I didn’t afford buying a sanitary pad, makes it even more difficult.” says Hagaya Kuraz 14 years old Accelerated Education Program (AEP) student at Becho Primary School at segen zuria district, in Konso zone, South Ethiopia.
Hagaya is one of the 248 children imagine1day has been reaching with ‘Bete’ project of the EU It is implementing in collaboration with UNICEF in Konso zone, South Ethiopia. The project allows holistic intervention given it is an integration of learning, child protection, and life skills training components. Access to schooling, scholastic materials, sanitary pads, locomotive materials, and None Food Item (NFI) provisions for children with disability, Mental Health Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), as well as Socio-Emotional Learning training, are parts of the project.
Hagaya with her schoolmates
Hagaya has a disability at birth. She used to face stigma and prejudice for she is the only person with disability in her family. Neither her divorced parents nor her two brothers were supportive. They preferred to hide her and she grew up with her grandmother.
Beaming Hagaya at home
Hagaya says, “Both my brothers and my parents including my grandmother used to feel shame about me. My grandmom was better though. But awareness creation by the imagine1day team changed everything for the better. My family started to treat me even better than my siblings. They confidently tell that I am part of the family and they support me in any way they can. The community’s belief that disability is God’s punishment has changed and I now am free of stigma and prejudice.”
Hagaya is provided with a wheelchair that has empowered her against the barriers of disability. “I have never been absent from school ever since imagine1day embarked ‘Bete’ project in my community. I like education a lot for school is a place where I get all my freedom. English is my favorite subject and I want to be a medical doctor while I complete my education so that I can treat people with disability,” says Hagaya passionately.
Staff Profile: Amanuel Kusheta
Amanuel Kusheta has been a dedicated member of Imagine1day since 2021, initially serving as a Zonal Program Coordinator before being promoted to Regional Program Manager in January 2022. He has well-represented Konso-Kolme in the Southern Ethiopia Region.
He has completed primary school in Kolme and secondary school at Konso-Karat Secondary School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Civic and Ethical Studies from Arbaminch University, complemented by a specialization in Leadership from the Africa Leadership Excellence Academy.
With over 14 years of leadership experience across government and educational sectors, he has held various impactful roles, including teacher, school principal, and cluster supervisor within the Konso Zone. His leadership capabilities were further demonstrated in positions such as Head of the Youth League and Chief Cabinet Member in Konso, as well as Head of Planning and Development in the then SNNP region Council Office.
He is recognized for his flexibility, reliability, and excellent time management skills. His strong work ethic, enthusiasm, and self-motivation enable him to tackle challenges effectively and drive meaningful change in his community.
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