“Before the ‘Educate A Girl’ program, I used to walk for hours to fetch water after school. By the time I got home, I was too tired to study. Now, everything has changed—I finally have time to focus on my dreams.”
Kidist (in the middle) studying with her friends
These are the heartfelt words of 16-year-old Kidist Wonde, a Grade 9 student at Arda Qalu Secondary School in Oromia region of Ethiopia. Growing up in a poor farming family with two brothers and three sisters, Kidist knows what it means to face hardship—but she also knows what it means to have hope.
“The Barzilai Foundation and Imagine1day have changed my life,” Kidist says with a bright smile. “They gave us a rental dorm to live in, school supplies, hygiene materials, and even business training and seed money for our parents. It’s more than support—it’s a second chance at life.”
Before the intervention, Kidist’s days were filled with physically demanding chores, long walks for water, and very little time for schoolwork. Like many girls in rural communities, the weight of family responsibilities stood between her and her education.
“I used to feel guilty for not helping my parents after school,” she shares. “But now, they understand that my education is important. They want me to succeed.”
Thanks to the Educate A Girl program, her parents received seed money and business training, empowering them to support the family’s long-term needs. This means Kidist and her siblings can stay in school—not just this year, but for the next three years and beyond.
“Now, I manage my time wisely. I study after school, and I even attend remedial classes that help me catch up and improve,” Kidist says proudly. “I feel like I’m finally being prepared for the future I’ve always dreamed of.”
That future, she says, is one of healing and helping.
“My favorite subject is physics, but what I really want is to become a psychologist,” she says. “I want to help people be the best version of themselves—no matter what they have been through. Everyone deserves to be seen and heard.”
For Kidist, education is more than a path out of poverty—it’s a platform for transformation. She ranked 2nd in her class.
“I am very grateful,” she says. “Without the Barzilai Foundation and Imagine1day, I might have never had this chance. Now, I have hope, and I want to use that hope to help others.”
In a world where so many girls are still denied an education, Kidist Wonde stands as a shining example of what is possible when someone believes in you—and gives you the tools to believe in yourself.
