The Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD), which is a partnership between South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) – an agency of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI)) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and is based in South Africa – has announced that ten projects in Africa will receive funding provided by the IAU and the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) initiative. DARA is funded by the UK’s International Science Partnership Fund, through that country’s Science and Technology Facilities Council. (Another eight projects, spread across Asia, Europe and the Americas, will also receive funding.)

“The Office of Astronomy for Development reflects South Africa’s ability to host and lead globally relevant science partnerships that translate research excellence into societal benefit,” affirmed DSTI director-general Dr Mlungisi Cele. “Through platforms such as the OAD, we are strengthening international collaboration, building institutional capability, and positioning science and innovation as integral components of sustainable development.”

The OAD is based at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town. It was created to use the tools, skills and infrastructure developed for astronomy to stimulate wider development. Since 2012, the OAD has funded more than 250 projects, benefitting thousands of people, using €1.5-million provided by the IAU. The OAD’s three main focus areas are astrotourism for socioeconomic development, astronomy to improve mental health, and the use of astronomy skills and knowledge for sustainable development.

Of the ten new African projects being funded, three are in South Africa. There is one each in Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. And one is a multinational East African project embracing Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

“We are thrilled about the projects receiving funding,” enthused NRF acting CEO Dr Angus Paterson. “The three South African initiatives will focus on bridging the gap between high school and university science; promoting astro-tourism for development through storytelling, science, and socioeconomic growth; and inspiring township and rural learners by making science, technology, engineering, and mathematics practical, creative, and connected to real-world challenges. All these are youth-focused, important topics. The projects across Africa are equally exciting. The initiative demonstrates how global collaboration plays a critical role in advancing society.”

In Egypt, the project is focused on children with intellectual disabilities.

The Ugandan project, dubbed Star Offering Hope (SOHO), is aimed at promoting mental well-being in refugee camps in the country. “SOHO will improve refugee youth wellbeing by combining astronomy, storytelling, and creative learning into trauma-sensitive, peer-led activities,” explained Mbarara University of Science and Technology lecturer Dr Trust Otto. “IAU funding will cover the core tools and training needed to run the programme safely and scale it across settlements.”

The joint East African project is the East African Astronomical Society Workshop, which seeks to make astronomy an impetus for regional development. “IAU funding acts as the essential seed capital that unlocks regional support and covers critical workshop logistics, empowering East African researchers to transform their dark skies into a bridge for sustainable economic growth,” highlighted project lead and Kenyatta University academic Dr Naftali K Kimani.