In June last year, the halls of the Vancouver Art Gallery echoed with cheers as 40 cyclists took part in RIDE vs ONE. Their mission was simple: one ride, one hour, one school.
On Sunday, more cheers were heard – on the plains of Ethiopia where 3,000 people turned out to celebrate the opening of the school RIDE vs ONE helped fund.
The school is Tulle Ade, in a remote community in Ethiopia’s Bale Zone.
Until Sunday, the students at Tulle Ade School experienced a learning environment no child should sit through.
Pupils studied in dark classrooms made from mud. Few had desks to sit at, so they spent entire lessons perched on logs or sitting on the bare, dusty ground, scribbling on notepads balanced on their knees.
Many did not enroll in school, and even less stayed. For those that completed Grade 5, they had no choice to drop out: the school did not cater for Grades 5 and above.
Now, that has all changed, thanks all the awesome people who supported and participated in RIDE vs ONE, including founder Bettina Khan. It was also made possible thanks to donors Anthem, Real Estate Results and Educate a Child.
With the support of these incredible people, we opened a brand new school for the community and children of Tulle Ade, complete with comfortable classrooms, gender-segregated latrines, a library, early childhood education centre, and playground. It caters for children from 0 Class to Grade 8
We’ve equipped the school with science gear, sports equipment, library books and other supplies. We’re training the teachers to better engage their students. We’re working local leaders to mobilize the community and champion education for all children.
One of the new classrooms at Tulle Ade School
Already, the new school and trainings are starting to deliver: 556 children now attend Tulle Ade – that’s a 63% increase in the school roll in 18 months. When imagine1day first visited, around 16% of students were dropping out of school every single year. By the end of 2016, not a single child had dropped out.
The future is bright for Tulle Ade.