Case Study: Alignment in Action
From the Ground Up
This is the story of our first pilots—more than $100,000 in aligned funding supporting classroom and library builds in Ethiopia. Together with our partner Together We Learn, these projects advance human-capacity development, a core pillar of the IIASA SSP1 sustainability framework. They demonstrate how The Chamber of Us connects proven organizations, global donors, and emerging talent into one coordinated engine for impact.
Phase 1: The Financial Engine
$100k+ Aligned for Education in Year One
Our financial model is built on trust and partnership. We support the critical, on-the-ground work of established organizations like Together We Learn Ethiopia and Building Futures Ethiopia. This work proved our model across two separate projects.
Proof 1: The $63k Azezo Alignment
First, we acted as an active aligner. Our partner, Together We Learn Ethiopia, had a project to rebuild three durable classrooms in Azezo. They had raised $22k but needed $14k more to unlock a final $27k grant from the Amhara Development Association (ADA).
TCUS helped bridge the gap. With community support, we aligned the remaining $14k, connecting all three partners and fully financing the $63,000 project.
Azezo Project Fund: $63,000 Total
- $22k (TWL)
- $14k (TCUS Support)
- $27k (ADA Grant)
Proof 2: The $70k Gendit Alignment
Next, we served as trusted bridge for a separate project at Gendit Primary School, led with long-time Together We Learn partner Building Futures Ethiopia (founded by Sue Eland).
A donor wished to contribute $70,000 from a U.S. Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) to build and resource the Gendit school library. Because Together We Learn is a UK charity and TCUS is a U.S. 501(c)(3), we provided the financial “pass-through,” successfully facilitating the DAF transfer to our partners.
Phase 3: The Path to Alignment
From a Local Story to a Global Prototype
This case study is more than a construction story—it’s a prototype for how systems can align. We didn’t just fund classrooms; we proved an engine that connects global capital, local talent, and sustainable design into a repeatable model for development.
Our R&D pod—Ephratah and Robel—are now extending this model through applied research. Together, they’re exploring pathways to true scalability: local material innovation, modular building methods, and open knowledge flows that allow each success to inform the next.
This is what sustainable progress looks like—built one alignment at a time. By investing first in human capacity, the foundation of the IIASA SSP1 “Sustainability” pathway, we help unlock the demographic dividend and lay the groundwork for equitable, climate-resilient development. Each local project becomes a data point in a global model—proof that coordinated design can scale a livable future.
Why We Partner with Together We Learn Ethiopia
Together We Learn Ethiopia is a UK-based charity with more than two decades of work improving education in Ethiopia. Our Azezo pilot builds on their proven, community-rooted approach. You can see their public update acknowledging this collaboration on LinkedIn.
What’s Next
Scaling What Works — Together
The From the Ground Up pilot showed what alignment can achieve when funding, field expertise, and global volunteer talent work in concert.
Building on that success, The Chamber of Us will continue collaborating with Together We Learn Ethiopia and welcoming new education and sustainability partners to help scale proven approaches to classroom construction and community learning.
Each lesson from Azezo informs a replicable framework — proof that coordinated collaboration can multiply impact far beyond a single site. Together, these building blocks strengthen the ethical infrastructure essential for sustainable development and a livable future.
Join the Next Chapter
The groundwork is laid — now we’re scaling what works. Each aligned project strengthens an open, ethical infrastructure designed to help humanity move closer to a livable future. Whether you’re an engineer, educator, or funder, your contribution helps turn alignment into action.