Planning

What began as a mere infrastructure project at Dagmawi Minilik II Primary School developed into a pilot project that exemplifies how a sustainable and civic engagement for schools in Ethiopia can be achieved. In several meetings with the school administration, teachers, parents and students ideas and suggestions emerged that pointed to a holistic approach. This confirmed our belief that the Ethiopian society is willing and able to actively participate in supporting their schools.

• The teachers criticized the current practice of renovation. For years they have been observing that only individual school parts are considered but that the various measures are not connected. From their point of view the school looks like "the patched blanket of a beggar." They propagated a holistic and sustainable improvement for themselves, the students and the school.  

• The parents confirmed that they were willing to participate financially and actively help in restructuring the school. At the same time they regretted that school maintenance and repair is not taught. Within the LISTROS DAY infrastructural project they want their children to learn for life.
• The students initially said that they would like to attend another school. One of the many reasons put forward by them was their impression that hardly any community feeling is entertained at Dagmawi Minilik II Primary School. The time allotted to student clubs - such as music, theater, mini-media and football - are often too short and only take 7-12 students. In addition, their own initiatives, for example caring for the green areas of their school, are not only not valued but stopped by school authorities. 
• The 81 blind students particularly complained about the access from of the asphalted main road up to their classrooms (estimated at 400-500 m). This path consists of sand, deep dents and individual paving stones. Orientation is difficult for them and they slip in the puddles when it is raining. They reported 3-4 mild to severe injuries per week.

Together with all stakeholders, we agreed on appointing four architectural students to draw up the design and prepare the implementatation.

Maintenance

A working group of 15 people together with the school director is to establish a system that will involve the more than 1,500 students in the remedial measures and subsequent maintenance.

The idea is that the students develop a sense of the careful handling of communal areas (eg, reduce waste to throw away easy to separate resources), learn to keep the toilets clean on their own, create a school garden and maintain themselves. Thus the entire campus will be a place of learning for them and educate them to take responsibility and show civic engagement also for non-school contexts.