The Empowerment of Girls through Athletics and Education Project, implemented by Imagine1day with support from the Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF), continues to empower girls and young people in Bokoji Town, Arsi Zone, Oromia Region through an integrated approach that combines athletics, education, life skills, and economic empowerment.

Since September 2026, the project has provided structured athletics training to 60 female athletes, with professional coaching six days a week. To promote athletes’ health and performance, two local mothers were engaged to prepare nutritious daily starter meals, while every athlete received essential sports equipment and training apparel.

The project’s impact was evident at the Oromia Athletics Federation Championship held in Nekemte, where 13 GGRF project target student athletes represented the organization. Competing against athletes from across the Oromia Region, the team secured an impressive nine medals: three gold and six bronze.

The gold medalists were Marta Alemayehu (400 meters) and Dibabe Hirko (800 meters). Bronze medals were won by Jitu Lema (1000 meters), Enatu Hirpha (800 meters), Martu Alemu, and Fatiya Abuni (Relay).

Beyond these remarkable sporting achievements, the project is helping girls build confidence, leadership, resilience, and teamwork while encouraging families and communities to support girls’ education and participation in athletics. By investing in girls’ potential both on and off the track, Imagine1day is helping create brighter futures and stronger communities.

Imagine1day congratulates all participating athletes, coaches, families, community members, and partners for their dedication and outstanding achievement. Their success proves the transformative power of investing in girls through education and sport.

 

Leaders in Teaching Ethiopia (LiTE) Program Bi-Annual Review Reinforces Commitment to Quality Secondary Education Across Four Regions in Ethiopia

Imagine1day concluded the LiTE Program Bi-annual Review Meetings across Amhara, Oromia, South Ethiopia, and Tigray regions, bringing together government stakeholders, school leaders, and implementing partners to assess progress, share lessons, and strengthen collaboration to improve secondary education outcomes.

The review covered program implementation from December 2025 to June 2026 while serving as an important platform to evaluate achievements, identify implementation challenges, and jointly develop practical action plans for the next implementation period. Participants included representatives from Ministry of Education, Regional and Woreda Education Offices, Labor and Skills Offices, TVET institutions, Finance Offices, Women and Social Affairs Bureaus, disability associations, school principals, and LiTE implementing partners.

During the review, participants highlighted significant progress in improving teaching and learning across target secondary schools. Schools expanded structured tutorial and remedial classes, conducted mock examinations, distributed reference books, strengthened peer-to-peer learning and night study programs, and enhanced communication through digital platforms such as Telegram. Capacity-building efforts also resulted in the establishment of Regional Steering Committees, training for female school facilitators, and strengthened ICT and Education Management Information System (EMIS) capacity.

The program further demonstrated strong progress in promoting inclusive education and student engagement. Disability mapping was completed in all target schools, five student clubs were strengthened in each school, community awareness activities were expanded, female alumni networks were established to mentor students, and LiTE Champion Committees and Youth Advisory Groups were formed to increase student participation and local ownership.

Despite these achievements, the review identified several challenges affecting implementation.

To address these challenges, stakeholders agreed on a series of strategic actions

The review reaffirmed the shared commitment of Imagine1day, government institutions, and program partners to achieving the LiTE Program’s vision of transforming secondary schools into centers of excellence that produce a competent, confident, and career-ready young generation.

 

 

Advancing Foundational Numeracy: Stakeholders Convene to Shape Grade 1–3 Learning Materials in South Ethiopia

Imagine1day, in partnership with Genesis Analytics through the Numeracy Research Development (NRD) Project, continues to strengthen foundational numeracy learning for young children across Konso Zone. Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the three-year initiative aims to improve mathematics learning outcomes for 32,423 Grade 1–3 learners, including 14,266 girls, in 56 primary schools across Karat Town Administration and Karat Zuria Woreda.

As part of preparations for the upcoming academic year, the project facilitated a high-level consultation and technical validation workshop in Arba Minch, bringing together key education stakeholders from the Ministry of Education (MoE), the South Ethiopia Regional Education Bureau, Zonal and Woreda Education Offices, Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs), and numeracy subject-matter experts.

The workshop served as a strategic platform to jointly design and validate Grade 1–3 Numeracy Model Lesson Plans and Activity Banks that are fully aligned with the national curriculum. Participants collaboratively reviewed and endorsed the scope, learning sequence, instructional approach, and comprehensive development framework to guide consultants in producing high-quality teaching and learning materials for classroom use at the start of the new school year.

The consultation reflects the NRD project’s commitment to strengthening the quality of numeracy instruction through evidence-based and curriculum-aligned resources, while reinforcing collaboration across all levels of the education system. The initiative also contributes to building the instructional capacity of teachers and education leaders, promoting community engagement in children’s learning, and establishing effective learning assessment and data systems that support continuous improvement.

By fostering strong partnerships between government institutions, technical experts, and development partners, the NRD Project is laying the foundation for more effective, inclusive, and sustainable numeracy education. The validated lesson plans and activity banks will play a critical role in equipping teachers with practical instructional tools that enhance classroom practice and help every child build the foundational numeracy skills needed for future learning and lifelong success.

 

 

Story: Promoting Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL)

USDA McGovern-Dole Supported TaRL Intervention School in Ethiopia

Instead of teaching strictly according to grade level, students were grouped according to their current learning abilities. Through engaging activities, games, locally produced learning materials, and continuous assessment, Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) has been enabling students to learn at a pace that matches their needs.

In Ethiopia’s Oromia and Afar regions, the School Meal for Improved Learning and Empowerment (SMILE) Project, implemented by Imagine1day in partnership with the World Food Program (WFP) under the USDA McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, is improving foundational learning outcomes through TaRL.

TaRL APPROACH

In Ethiopia’s Borena Zone, where many families rely on pastoralism for their livelihoods, children often face significant barriers to learning. Seasonal mobility, limited educational resources, and traditional teaching methods can leave many students behind, even when they attend school regularly.

To address these challenges, the SMILE project is strengthening literacy skills for 153,439 primary school children across Oromia and Afar regions, including 73,439 children in Oromia, while improving teaching quality and creating more inclusive learning environments. For thirteen-year-old Guyo Kotola, a Grade 5 student at Dida Yabello Primary School in Yabello Woreda, Borena Zone, TaRL has transformed not only his academic performance but also his confidence and aspirations.

A STUDENT LEFT BEHIND

Before TaRL was introduced through the SMILE Project, Guyo struggled to keep pace with classroom instruction. Although he attended school regularly, he could not read or write in Afan Oromo or English and found even basic literacy difficult.

“TaRL changed my performance, and that makes me happy. It made my family believe in me and made them happy too.”

Like many conventional classrooms, lessons followed a one-size-fits-all approach. Teachers explained lessons on the blackboard, assigned exercises, and moved quickly through the curriculum, leaving little opportunity for students who needed additional support.

Everything changed when TaRL was introduced.

Guyo and his fellow students now participate in TaRL sessions twice a week for Afan Oromo language. The interactive approach has made learning enjoyable while strengthening the relationship between teachers and students.

Within months, Guyo learned to read and write confidently in both Afan Oromo and English and mastered basic literacy. English has since become his favorite subject.

After just one year of participating in TaRL, Guyo moved from 11th place to 1st out of 54 students in his Grade 5 class.

For a child who once struggled to follow lessons, becoming the highest-performing student has transformed how he views himself and how others view his potential.

His improved performance has strengthened his confidence, increased his enthusiasm for learning, and inspired greater support from his family.

DREAMING BIGGER

Today, Guyo speaks confidently about his future.

He dreams of becoming a doctor so he can serve his community, where access to quality healthcare remains limited.

His ambition reflects more than individual achievement. It demonstrates how strengthening foundational literacy can open pathways that seemed out of reach for children living in remote pastoralist communities.

Guyo also hopes that other children will receive the same opportunity he did.

CONCLUSION

The SMILE Project is improving foundational learning by helping children acquire essential literacy skills through TaRL. The project is enabling students to participate more confidently in regular classroom instruction, improve academic performance, and pursue ambitions they previously thought impossible.

As the SMILE Project continues to reach thousands of children across Oromia and Afar, improved educational outcomes and brighter futures become possible.

 

Story: Empowering Students to Be the Best Version of Themselves

USDA McGovern-Dole Supported Education in Ethiopia

Through the School Meal for Improved Learning and Empowerment (SMILE) Project, implemented by Imagine1day in partnership with the World Food Program (WFP) under the USDA McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, alongside Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL), the project provides children with integrated support that removes barriers to education while enabling them to build foundational literacy skills.

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

The SMILE Project provides children with integrated support that strengthens both learning and school participation, helping keep children in school by addressing barriers that extend beyond the classroom. While improving teaching quality is essential, learner-centered approaches such as TaRL ensure that children develop strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills by teaching at their actual learning level.

For Gemechis Yohanes, an eleven-year-old Grade 4 student at Dida Yabello Primary School in Borena Zone, the TaRL literacy intervention transformed both his reading ability and his confidence, opening opportunities to demonstrate his potential beyond the classroom.

Gemechis lives with his mother and three siblings. His mother supports the family by selling injera every day, working tirelessly to provide for her children despite limited resources.

“I started coming to school eagerly because learning became enjoyable and teachers communicated with us in a friendly way.”

Although Gemechis attended school regularly, learning was often difficult.

Before TaRL was introduced, he struggled to read and write and found English particularly challenging. Lessons were delivered primarily through lectures, leaving few opportunities for students who needed additional support or active participation. Communication between teachers and students was limited, making it difficult for learners like Gemechis to ask questions or build confidence.

Despite these challenges, he finished Grade 3 ranked 3rd in his class.

The TaRL approach transformed the classroom atmosphere. Teachers became more approachable, students participated actively, and learning became enjoyable based on learners’ ability. Through regular literacy activities and instruction tailored to his learning level, Gemechis made remarkable progress in reading. He now reads 80–120 words per minute in both Afan Oromo and English, demonstrating strong reading fluency for his grade level. As his foundational skills improved, mathematics also became his favorite subject.

FROM STRUGGLING READER TO READING CHAMPION

The transformation in Gemechis’s literacy skills soon translated into outstanding achievement beyond the classroom.

With the strong reading foundation he developed through the TaRL literacy program, Gemechis emerged as the winner of the reading competition at Dida Yabello Primary School. His performance earned him the opportunity to represent his school in the Cluster Resource Center (CRC) Reading Competition, where Dida Yabello Primary School competed against eight surrounding satellite schools in Afan Oromo and English.

Competing with the best readers from all nine schools in the cluster, Gemechis once again demonstrated exceptional reading fluency and comprehension, winning the competition and becoming the overall reading champion at the CRC level.

CONCLUSION

An integrated approach of quality teaching, practical learning methods, and supportive teachers works together to remove barriers that prevent children from reaching their full potential.

As the project continues to support thousands of learners across Oromia and Afar in 500 schools, integrated investments in education will transform classrooms, strengthen families’ hopes, and help children become the best version of themselves.

 

Story: Dreams Don’t Expire: A Mother and Daughter’s Journey of Transformation

“I passed the national exam, but I chose not to continue. I told myself that my children’s education must come before mine. But now, because of my daughter’s opportunity, I’ve been given a second chance; not just to dream again, but to learn again,” says Adanech Arka, 45-year-old mother of three from Sodo Town in South Ethiopia region.

For most of her adult life, Adanech Arka carried the quiet burden of a dream deferred. A mother of three and wife to a government nurse, her days were spent raising children and managing the household. Always placing her family’s needs before her own.

“I completed Grade 12 and passed the national exam,” Adanech recalls. “But we couldn’t afford to send everyone to school, and my children needed me. So, I stepped aside.”

Her eldest daughter, Betelehem Amanuel, showed academic promise from a young age. But even the basics became barriers. School supplies, uniforms, and sanitary pads were often out of reach. As the gaps grew, so did Betelehem’s self-doubt.

“She was bright, but withdrawn,” Adanech says. “She missed school. She felt embarrassed. I feared her future might slip away, the same way mine once did.”

Then came a turning point. Betelehem was selected for the Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF) program, implemented by Imagine1day. Through the initiative, she received school fees, supplies, hygiene kits, snacks, life skills training and became part of the girls’ running club.

Betelehem says, “Being selected for the GGRF program felt like a rebirth for me and my family, particularly my mother. I am no longer shy. I have started asking questions in class, leading group discussions, and running with confidence. I am very grateful to Girls Gotta Run Foundation and Imagine1day for transforming my life.”

 

But the transformation didn’t stop with Betelehem.

Through the GGRF Mothers’ Savings Group, Adanech began attending meetings with other women. Learning about saving, self-confidence, and personal development. In those gatherings, she found something unexpected: the courage to dream again.

“The women encouraged me,” she says. “They told me, ‘You made a sacrifice. But now it’s your time.’ And for the first time in years, I believed it.”

With support from the group and pooled savings, Adanech enrolled in a private agricultural college, reigniting the education she had once put aside.

Now, she studies agriculture in the mornings and supports her children in the afternoons, including Betelehem, who is thriving in Grade 9 and dreams of becoming a cardiologist.

“Sometimes we sit together at night, both of us doing homework,” Adanech says with a smile. “She teaches me digital tools. I show her how to persevere when things feel hard. We are learning and growing together.”

Adanech’s journey has become a source of inspiration in her community. Women who once believed their time had passed now look to her as living proof: education and leadership have no age limit.

“When people ask, ‘Isn’t school just for the young?’ I tell them, ‘Dreams don’t expire.’ I am a mother—but I am also a student. And I am proud of both.”

For Adanech and Betelehem, education is no longer a distant hope. It Is a shared pursuit. One built on sacrifice, renewed through opportunity, and sustained by unwavering courage.

Adanech says, “This program didn’t just change my daughter’s life. It gave me back my own. Now, we are walking toward something brighter together. I couldn’t thank enough GGRF and Imagine1day for this golden opportunity.”

 

 

Story: Bethlehem’s Race Toward a New Tomorrow

“I used to stay home during my period. I had no pads, no books, and no lunch. My uniform was torn. I was embarrassed. I felt small. I was falling behind. But that wasn’t the life I wanted,” says Bethlehem Amanuel, 16, Grade 9 student, Aba Paskal Primary & Secondary School, Sodo Town, South Ethiopia region.

Before she became a top student or a confident voice in her classroom, Bethlehem was a girl on the verge of giving up. School wasn’t just challenging. It was a battleground until Bethlehem was identified for support through the Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF) project, implemented by Imagine1day. What she received went beyond supplies. It restored her sense of self-worth.

“I was given dignity,” Bethlehem says. “I was seen. Through the program, I received school fees, a new uniform, sanitary pads, books, and meals. I also joined the Aflatoun program, the girls’ running club, and life skills training. Spaces where I found my voice, my strength, and my confidence. Now, I raise my hand. I lead discussions. I run with pride. I no longer hide in the back of the room. I know I belong.”

With the chance to focus fully on her education, Bethlehem soared, earning first place across all Grade 9 sections at her school. Her favorite subjects are Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, and her dream is bold: to become a cardiologist.

“There are children in rural areas who suffer silently,” she says. “I want to be the one who brings them healing just like someone brought me hope.”

The impact has rippled beyond the classroom. Her father, once unsure about investing in girls’ education, is now one of its strongest advocates in the community. Her mother, who has since returned to school herself, tells neighbors with pride about her daughter’s achievements.

“I tell other girls: don’t give up because of where you come from,” Bethlehem says. “Your beginning does not define your ending. You can go far, farther than you ever imagined.”

Bethlehem is not just staying in school. She is leading. She is soaring. She is rising with purpose.