In the remote and drought-prone communities of Afar, access to education, clean water, and safe learning spaces has long been a major challenge. For years, children in these areas faced multiple barriers to schooling — long distances to the nearest school, lack of infrastructure, and the daily burden of fetching water for their families. These conditions disrupted learning,limiting the children’s hope for a better future.
Everything changed when the ECW FER Afar project was introduced. Funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), supported by International Organization for Development (IOD), and implemented by Geneva Global Ethiopia, the project brought integrated support to the community. Safe and inclusive learning spaces were established, access to Accelerated Learning Programs (ALP) was expanded, and clean water services were improved.
As a result, children who had previously been excluded from education were given a second chance to learn. Families began to see education not as a distant dream, but as a practical and achievable opportunity. The presence of clean water within reach reduced the time children spent on domestic chores, allowing them to focus on their studies in a safer and more supportive environment.
One of the beneficiaries of this transformation is Halima, a 13-year-old girl from the community. Before the project, her days were dominated by long walks to fetch water, and attending school was not possible. Education felt far beyond her reach.
Today, Halima is enrolled in the ALP class supported through the ECW FER–IOD–Geneva Global partnership. Instead of spending hours under the scorching sun searching for water, she now spends her time learning, reading, and building her skills.
“I feel so lucky,” Halima says with a smile. “Now I go to school and learn with my friends. We have a safe place to study, and I can think about my future.”
For Halima, education represents opportunity. She dreams of becoming either an engineer or a teacher so she can contribute to her community and help other children access the opportunities she once lacked.
Her story reflects the broader impact of the project: when communities receive coordinated support, barriers are reduced, access expands, and children like Halima are empowered to envision and pursue a better future.
