Welcome back to the Selam monthly newsletter! It is our pleasure to be connecting with you once again. This month, May 2023 is an exceptional month that notably holds the retirement of one of imagine1day’s treasured partners, I would say a brother from another mother – Piers Blake, Costa Foundation’s Director. Of course, it is an earned retirement but it doesn’t make saying goodbye any easier.
It has been an honour to work with Piers for the last six years. He is a dedicated professional, a helpful advisor, a mentor, and most importantly, a wonderful friend. While his presence as a partner will be missed, the excellent job he has accomplished in reaching over 60,000 children with quality education guarantees that he’ll never be forgotten. I know he cares a lot about these children, particularly about girls’ education. I promise myself and my team will make sure your legacy across the coffee-growing communities you have been serving will live on for generations to come!
You might be ending your career journey with us but you will never leave the special place you hold in our hearts! Thank you and we love you, Piers!
This month also homed some incredibly exciting events. We had our first school inauguration in Tigray, post-conflict, and we visited four schools in the SNNP and Oromia regions where the Costa Foundation, in partnership with i1d built a standard school, and opened three state-of-the-art science labs.
Finally, please keep an eye out for the relaunch of our social media! We are excited to be connecting with everyone, once again.
I look forward to seeing you again,
Dr. Seid Aman
OUR GOAL
By 2030, all Ethiopian children will have access to quality education free of foreign aid.
The Community of Guanga has opened a first-of-its-kind program. The program allows girls who have graduated grade 10 or higher to register for a sewing class. In the class, the girls learn to sew reusable sanitary pads and provide them for free to nearby schools. This term, the girls have provided over 500 free pads to nearby schools.
The sanitary pads are reusable, making them both environmentally conscious and more cost-effective than their store-bought counterpart; relieving girls who otherwise would have no access to proper menstrual hygiene supplies.
Tigist, a high school graduate had started university, but she found the environment uncomfortable and decided instead to come back home to Guanga. “After I signed up and started the training, I decided I wanted to be a designer,” says Tigist. The program student talked about how helpful the teachers were “They encourage our innovation, their teaching is my favorite part about the course.” Tigist emphasizes the importance of the program giving her a second chance after deciding university was not the right path for her. The student has big dreams, “I plan to start my own business locally, save my money and expand my clothing business from there” emphasizes Tigist. Although the program allows her to receive a job after graduation, she’s decided to go even further. The program does not just benefit her, “we are exemplary girls in our community, we show girls the importance of working together and acquiring work and skills. My parents and other girls are so supportive of us. Thank you imaigne1day for bringing this program to our community.” … Click to read more >
Last month, four members of the Costa Foundation- including the notorious Piers Blake, board-chair Ken Mackenzie and his wife Joy, and members of the i1d team embarked on a four-day journey to the Oromia and SSNP regions. Not only was this an incredible chance to visit the beautifully built facilities by Costa Foundation and i1d, but it was also a celebration of Piers Blakes’ career as he settles into his retirement.
The trip visited four schools: Wote Primary School, Adame Primary School, Dimtu High School, and Haru School. Each school honoured Piers in its own way. Piers even appeared on a billboard in the community, a tribute almost as large as his contribution to the country. Beyond this, classrooms, reading parks, and school monuments were dedicated to him…. Click to read more >
Nasir hails from the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia. He joined the i1d team three months ago as a communication officer. After pursuing his BA in Journalism and Communications at Meklle University, Nasir continued to gain his extensive journalism experience producing articles for an Addis news company. After his experience in Addis, he returned back to Tigray working in social media management, editing, and monitoring for a TV network. Now, Nasir joins us at imagine1day; in only two months he has established himself as a crucial part of the communications team, dramatically expanding our outreach. He’s excited to get our social media off the ground once again.
We look forward to seeing all Nasir has to offer, welcome to the team!
With your donation you are ensuring enrollment and retention of over 1,500 OOSC in Gerbi Galo school in Harena Buluk district, Oromia region.
Join imagine1day to save over 1,300 children in Awucheche Awulijana school in Oromia region from being Out of School.
Your donation helps imagine1day enroll over 2,000 Out of School girls in Harena Buluk district of Oromia Region.
Your generosity will help us to improve quality of teaching and learning for 1,022 children in Harawa Kalle school, in Oromia Region.
Your contribution helps imagine1day to create access to quality equitable education for 914 children in Gebicho school.
781 children in Dina’a school in Oromia region will be reached with quality equitable education with your generous donation.
The Community of Guanga has opened a first-of-its-kind program. The program allows girls who have graduated grade 10 or higher to register for a sewing class. In the class, the girls learn to sew reusable sanitary pads and provide them for free to nearby schools. This term, the girls have provided over 500 free pads to nearby schools.
Last month, four members of the Costa Foundation- including the notorious Piers Blake, board-chair Ken Mackenzie and his wife Joy, and members of the i1d team embarked on a four-day journey to the Oromia and SSNP regions. Not only was this an incredible chance to visit the beautifully built facilities by Costa Foundation and i1d, but it was also a celebration of Piers Blakes’ career as he settles into his retirement.
Nasir hails from the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia. He joined the i1d team three months ago as a communication officer. After pursuing his BA in Journalism and Communications at Meklle University, Nasir continued to gain his extensive journalism experience producing articles for an Addis news company. After his experience in Addis, he returned back to Tigray working in social media management, editing, and monitoring for a TV network. Now, Nasir joins us at imagine1day; in only two months he has established himself as a crucial part of the communications team, dramatically expanding our outreach. He’s excited to get our social media off the ground once again.
