1. Rediscovering Identity through Astronomy, Chile

By María Alejandra Díaz

Introduction

Despite having some of the best observatories in the world,  Chile has not harnessed the full potential of astronomy as a source of development for the country. Until recently, astronomy has not been at the forefront of the national curriculum, and as you go south, outreach programs from the observatories, based in the north, fade. Educational conditions are tough in the poorer regions of the country and would benefit from having astronomy as a gateway into STEM studies and careers. Furthermore, there is an opportunity to embrace the country’s roots since indigenous persons have studied the cosmos for thousands of years, and their culture is deeply interwoven into their cosmovision.  Recent studies have shown Chile has become disconnected from its indigenous roots, so astronomy is a potential tool to reclaim and preserve this ancestral knowledge.

Project Coordinator

Yasmin Catricheo is a physics educator from Chile and a member of the Mapuche First Nation who works on developing projects for underdeveloped communities at the Associated Universities Inc (AUI).  As a child, she attended a school with few resources. Nonetheless, she eventually got into the field of astronomy, and since then she has worked to give back to her community those STEM opportunities she did not have, eventually leading to the creation of the Rediscovering Identity through Astronomy RITA project.  

Activities

Rediscovering Identity Through Astronomy (RITA) is the main project of the Fundación Janequeo, a foundation that uses STEM  to educate, promote equality, preserve indigenous knowledge, and overall foster development in communities. RITA’s main goal is to use astronomy as a means to help indigenous students rediscover their ancestral roots and also get them acquainted with new STEM career paths. The project works with indigenous educators and students in the Likan Antai, Pascuense, and Mapuche communities in Chile. Throughout the duration of the project, monthly astronomy questions were given to the students (e.g. ‘Has your community ever looked at stars?’), who were then encouraged to research and ask their communities about it. After each month, virtual meetings were held between the three participating schools at which students discussed their findings.

Results

The direct audience impacted by RITA were 35 indigenous students from three different under-resourced schools. Their teachers and families were indirectly affected by the project as well. Gender distribution was around 50/50.

The project has stayed in touch with the teachers and is currently processing results from questionnaires and comments from the teachers. While this analysis is not finished yet,  some results are already apparent. To begin with, students became progressively more participative throughout the project: at first, very few students spoke or even showed their faces during the zoom calls, but at each meeting more of them started turning on their cameras, raising their hands, and talking more. Despite problems with the internet connection, the students made a visible effort to attend the meetings on time.

The engagement with their culture also proved to be successful. Students were able to answer the research questions, providing many interesting stories from their communities. For example, one student explained how he talked to his grandfather, who told him that his grandfather had once told him that when you look at the night sky you can contact your ancestors. Furthermore, the students successfully connected with others from different communities. Throughout the meetings, recurring themes of the relationship with the night sky came up for all three groups. For example, the three cultures had a strong connection to the Pleiades. Discussing these common points connected the kids from the different schools.

The project changed students’ perceptions that STEM and astronomy were not relevant to them. By the end of the project, one student declared he wanted to be an astronomer when he grew up, which is an encouraging result. 

“RITA has planted a tiny seed in the children’s minds to get them interested in science, now we need to continue watering those seeds.” – Yasmin Catricheo, project coordinator.

SDG Analysis

A preliminary analysis (pending full analysis of collected data) provides evidence of the RITA project fulfilling at least two SDG targets. 

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Target 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.

By working with indigenous students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, RITA is reducing inequalities in STEM education. There is evidence that the students were highly engaged and developed an interest in STEM and astronomy. 

Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable

11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

By reconnecting the youngest generations with their community’s knowledge, indigenous cultural heritage is prevented from being forgotten.  Students have learned more about their culture, engaged with older people in their families and communities, and also shared this knowledge with other communities, establishing new connections.

The Future

The next step for the RITA project is to create a project report including the questions and the answers of each student, and drawings from the students. The report will be published as a book and sent to the participating students. There are plans to organize a second version of RITA with different groups, which would culminate in a meeting of all participants. An international version of the project is also being planned. 

Conclusions

The RITA project is an example of the multi-faceted contribution of astronomy to society. It has provided a way to preserve the cultures of First Nations, given students from underserved communities an exciting first contact with STEM,  and promoted new connections between communities. The project coordinator Yasmin commented  ‘I really saw myself in those kids. I only had one teacher at my school, I never had many opportunities (…)’. 

Chile is particularly fertile ground to use astronomy to its full potential,  as it has world-class observatories and many indigenous communities with strong connections to the night sky. One of the crucial outcomes of the project is that it sets an example for newer, creative ways of using astronomy to drive development. 

Contact the project: Yasmin Catricheo, YCatricheo@aui.edu 

Project URL: https://www.astro4dev.org/category/rediscovering-identity-though-astronomy/ 

2.  Astronomy for students through interactive app and game, Bangladesh

By María Alejandra Díaz

Introduction  

This project arose from the general lack of astronomy education in Bangladesh. This is true at both school and university levels and is particularly noticeable in rural areas, which are not reached by outreach programs. There is a problem with both awareness and resources for science education. 

Project Coordinator

Ahmed Estiak is a young researcher from Bangladesh.  He earned his Physics degree at the Shahjalal University of Science & Technology and is currently looking to pursue postgraduate studies in Astrophysics. He was the official president of the Copernicus Astronomical Memorial, the only astronomy organization in his university. Through this organization, he got involved in astronomy outreach and education. His experiences conducting outreach at schools were the seeds of inspiration for this project: Astronomy for students through interactive app and game. 

Activities

The basis of the project is the development of an interactive astronomy app to popularize astronomy and science education among students in Bangladesh. The application has twelve anthropomorphized characters: eight planets, three moons, and the Sun. Users can chat with these characters, asking them questions about their characteristics such as their mass, temperature, etc. When chatting with the Earth character, students learn about climate change, light pollution, and resource scarcity. 

After the app was developed, it was tested at two schools. The team is currently implementing some of the feedback received and plans to publish the app in the Android Play Store. Once published, the code will be openly available so others may improve on it. 

Results

The direct audience impacted by this project were 79 students from fourth grade to tenth grade. The participants were from two schools, one in an urban area and one in a rural area with scarce socioeconomic resources.  The students had practically no astronomical knowledge whatsoever, especially the kids from the rural areas. Participants were involved in a training session and some quiz competitions to assess their progress. Feedback shows that 33% of students displayed an increase in their astronomy knowledge after the activity. Furthermore, 91% of students gave positive feedback on the app, and 98% of students felt they had learned something new by using this application. Overall, the results prove that the project was successful in educating students and generating interest in astronomy and science.

The Future

The next step for the project is to officially release the app in the Play Store.  However, a few more school programs will be completed beforehand to polish the application a bit more. After that, the possibility of creating a PC version of the app will be considered. If there is interest, the team will add features and make the design more interactive.  One possibility is adding more characters in the app, for example, some scientists.

Currently, the languages of the app are Bangla and English, but in the long term, the aim would be to collaborate with the OAD to translate the app into as many languages as possible. Since the only change to the code would be the input of questions in various languages, it would be feasible to translate the app into 30 or 50 more languages.

SDG analysis

At least two SDG targets have been met by this project

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Target 4.5   By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.

Results show the app can increase the astronomy knowledge of the students. By working with students from rural areas with less resources, the project can lessen the educational gap with rural areas.

Target 4.7   By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

The app not only teaches astronomical concepts but also touches upon climate change and sustainability, providing the students with a well-rounded educational experience.

Conclusion

Astronomy for students through interactive app and game is the first OAD-funded project centered on app development, and it has successfully shown that mobile applications are a tool that can be harnessed to evoke interest in science.  This locally developed app has created a positive impact among students, and its potential to be adapted to other languages means its impact could be multiplied. Overall, it sets a precedent for apps as science communication tools with great reach.

Contact the project: Ahmed Estiak, ahmedestiak.sust@gmail.com 

Project URL: https://www.astro4dev.org/category/astronomy-for-students-through-interactive-app-and-game/ 

3. Astronomy for Mental Health, Global

By María Alejandra Díaz

Introduction

Mental health disorders are currently one of the biggest challenges to global well-being, and this has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Armenia, where one of the project coordinators is based, the pandemic has also been accompanied by a war that has resulted in large numbers of displaced citizens. The result has been a profound impact on mental well-being.

Because of its connection to nature and its inspirational qualities, astronomy harbors great potential to improve mental health. Thus, it could be a powerful tool to assist people, including vulnerable communities.

Project Coordinator

Armine Patatanyan is based in Armenia and has a background in International Relations, Human Rights, and Conflict Management. She has experience in humanitarian settings, having worked, among other projects, in women empowerment and refugee integration programs. She became interested in astronomy after a powerful, emotional experience during an astronomy exhibition: she felt she had found a tool to appreciate the beauty of life and deal with life’s challenges, a feeling she has defined as ‘cosmic empowerment’.  Since then, she has been working on astronomy outreach projects to share this cosmic perspective with as many people as possible. This has culminated in her current fellowship with the OAD, in which she is working on the Astronomy for Mental Health project.

Activities

The Astronomy for Mental Health project explores how astronomy can help improve the mental well-being of vulnerable groups. After conducting research on the topic and discussing it with different professionals (psychologists, astronomers, social workers, etc.), the project implemented different astronomy activities designed to foster mental health and then measured its impact. The activities were designed to integrate cognitive aspects, such as astronomical knowledge, emotional aspects, such as the beauty of cosmos, and sociological aspects, such as the power of astronomy to bring people together. 

Results

The project has targeted different countries and demographics, with the activities being tailored for each group. The direct audience in Armenia were 13 children with mental health needs. Their siblings, parents, and staff of the support center were indirectly affected by the project as well. The results are promising. Participants were excited about the topics and asked many questions, and the results show remarkable signs of change in their behavior and mood. There were, among others, clear signs of motivation, openness, and absence of negativity. Moreover, a sense of community seemed to develop among participants, who were listening and supporting each other. This was supported by the assessment questionnaires, which show that the value the kids placed on interpersonal relationships became more pronounced. Specialists have also commented these activities have the potential to improve their attention span, but currently, this has not been measured.

Before this, similar pilot activities had been implemented in Nigeria. Results showed a decrease in cases of depression and anxiety, and the audience asked for these activities to continue.

In Spain, the direct audience were around 90 elderly people from different care centers. The results so far show participants were highly satisfied with the activity and feel it contributed to enhancing their self-esteem and rise in positive emotions.

In South Africa, the direct audience were 20 care-workers. Participants noted that the workshop allowed them to experience how astronomy can be used as a tool in the mental health setting.

The Future

There are plans to expand the Astronomy for Mental Health project by incorporating new locations and new target groups, like mental health facilities, prisons, or people in disaster zones. 

Moreover, this project is defined by interdisciplinary collaboration: astronomy outreach and educational activities are enriched by psychology, and likewise, astronomy provides tools for psychological interventions. This means the project could eventually expand to help other disciplines as well

“Our goal is not only relief of symptoms, but also empowerment. When we see the empowerment of people, we see their full engagement in life, their enjoyment of life and their participation in the community, in the lives of other people.”

– Armine Patatanyan, project coordinator.

SDG analysis

Astronomy for Mental Health meets at least two SDG targets.

Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being

Through its activities, the project is promoting the mental well-being of its participants. Results among all the branches of the project show an increase in positive emotions and a decrease in negative ones.

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Target 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.

By conducting educational and inspirational activities with vulnerable groups, the project is reducing inequalities in STEM education. The activities could also have the potential of improving the attention span of the participants.

Conclusions

Astronomy as a field is in a very special position to foster mental health. It is multidisciplinary, awe-inspiring, deeply connected to nature, and intellectually stimulating. Astronomy for Mental Health is one of the projects to tap into this potential, showing that astronomy activities focused on mental well-being can successfully benefit mental health while also improving cognitive performance and social bonds. It has also set an example of how astronomy can collaborate with other disciplines to great results, the outcomes of this project potentially impacting other fields like psychology and humanitarian work. 

Contact the project: Armine Patatanyan, armine.patatanyan@gmail.com 

Project URL: https://www.astro4dev.org/astronomy-mental-health/ 

4. Big Data Hackathon

By Dana Ficut-Vicas

In this article we would like to showcase the role astronomy can play in knowledge and skills development for a sustainable world. This particular project, the “Big Data Hackathons”, is an example of how incredible individuals and their teams, with small initiatives, create great impact to people and communities. 

Project Coordinator

Inspired by the dark skies of South Africa, Dr. Nikhita Madhanpall, born in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, followed her interest in physics and astronomy from early childhood up to a PhD level. Then she combined her scientific career with her passion for helping people and found fulfillment in Astronomy for Development. She is coordinating, since 2020, the “Big Data Hackathons” Project, the most representative project of the OAD flagship theme no. 3: Knowledge and Skills for Development.

Challenge & Context

The “Big Data Hackathons” Project is a partnership between DARA (Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy) Big Data, OAD and IDiA (Inter-university Institute for Data intensive Astronomy) through which, Hackathons are organized in the SKA partner countries in Africa. The Project targets university level students, mostly postgraduate, who have experience with programming and already have basic computer skills in Python. Astronomy, with its state-of-art instruments producing ‘astronomical’ amounts of data, is one of the engines driving the development of Data Science. Indeed, Data Science goes beyond the needs of astronomy and has applications in many fields of research and industry. It is one of the jobs of the future, leading to high levels of interest and many prospects in pursuing knowledge in this field.

“There is a desperate need for Data Science skills development on the African continent that would enable Africans to take part in the 4th industrial revolution by keeping up with the scientific and technological advancements”, explains Dr. Nikhita Madhanpall. The challenge which the  “Big Data Hackathons” Project tries to address is the creation of a critical mass of people on the African continent able to use Data Science skills to solve Africa’s problems.

Activities:

The “Big Data Hackathons” project aims to increase awareness about the broad applications of Data Science in academia and industry, but its achievements go beyond this initially set goal. This project has ignited interest for Python programming and Data Science among university students across Africa. In many cases, this project has been a unique resource for improving and advancing Data Science as a field of study in African Universities.

The DARA project has been running since 2017 and targets university level students, mostly postgraduate students who have experience with programming and already have the basic skills in the Python language. The project revolves around two main activities. The first is the Big Data Africa School, two week long events where participants attend lectures and workshops and have the opportunity to interact with invited speakers from academia and industry to fully explore the benefits of Data Science skills. This event, however has been disrupted in the past two years by the COVID19 pandemic. The other activity is the Big Data Hackathons, three day long events where participants work through tutorials with real data, solving real-world problems and then complete a hackathon team project. The “Big Data Hackathons” project comprises “hands-on” activities that immerse the participants into the reality of solving problems and inspire them to employ their knowledge and skills for a better world.

Results:

Over the past five years, around 400 students have participated in the events implemented by the DARA Big Data project, and many inspired by this project have continued specializing in this field of study. Some, later on returned as tutors in the “Big Data Hackathons“. In fact, 80-90% of the tutors are former participants. Although the participation is restricted to university level students, with a preference towards postgraduates, the participant can be from any faculty or specialization. This interdisciplinary approach exposed the participants to an even broader range of Data Science applications has and inspired them to use the knowledge in their own fields of interest. 

The main results of the projects are:

1. Growing the confidence of the participants in their ability to understand and implement Data Science and machine learning techniques.
2. Increasing awareness about the broad application of Data Science in academia or industry
3. Offering resources to study even if those particular courses are not available at the universities.
4. Inspiring universities to broaden their curricula by including Data Science courses.
5. Giving exposure to the career opportunities related to Data Science as a development skill.

The activities in this project were always met with enthusiasm for learning from the participants and many of them pursued their interest for Data Science well beyond the project. This reaction of the participants was responded to with updates of materials and resources of further study  as well as the development of a community of Data Science enthusiasts (informal at first but currently taking shape as an alumni group) that can maintain the legacy of the “Big Data Hackathons “ project.

The “Big Data Hackathons” Project and the UN Sustainable development Goals (SDGs)

This project aimed to contribute to quality education (SDG 4) and socio-economic development through better job opportunities (SDG 8) but it achieved so much more.

SDG 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Target 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.

Target 4.7   By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

It contributed to high quality education by increasing awareness of the importance of Data Science to address developmental challenges in Africa and for better job opportunities. “We cannot do skills development in three days but we can give exposure”, Dr. Nikhita Madhanpall explains. And most of the time exposure is all that is needed to start the wheels turning. This project was sometimes the first contact that participants had with the field of Data Science. It also provided inspiration to adapt the curriculum at university with the current technological advancements in order to prepare students for the jobs of the future.

SDG 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Target 8.5 Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

It contributed to SDG 8, by offering the participants skills that helped them qualify for better paid jobs. Empowering students with Data Science skills is essential not only for the career development of the participants but also has potential to be applied to the socio-economic development in the region.

SDG 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Target 5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making in political, economic and public life.

SDG 10. Reduce Inequalities within and among countries

Target 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

This project carefully selected its participants and constantly searched for ways of becoming more accessible to all student categories including female students. Between 2017 and 2020, only 20% of the participants were female, but starting from 2020 the percentages have increased to 50% female participation at each event, bringing a positive contribution to SDG 5, target 5.5. This project made a contribution to Reducing inequalities, hence to SDG 10, target 10.2., through increasing female participation and through bringing Data Science to communities that would not have otherwise had access to this opportunity.

SDG 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Target 17.6 By 2030, Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism.

Finally this project has been possible because of the partnership between OAD, IDiA and DARA Big Data. This partnership contributed to knowledge sharing and cooperation for access to Science, technology and innovation in the developing world. (SDG 17, target 17.6).

Conclusions:

Although the need for Data Science and machine learning skills in Africa has not been completely solved, this project has contributed to addressing it. The feedback collected from the participants at the end of the project events shows that 90% of the audience understood the importance of Data Science in their fields of study and for their own personal and professional development and the job opportunities that open up with mastering such skills. The “Big Data Hackathons“ project lives on beyond the funding timeline, through the database of the “organise your own hackathon” resources that is now available as an open resource for anyone who wants to replicate or further develop Big Data Hackathons anywhere in the world. Former participants return as tutors making a substantial contribution to the number of direct and indirect beneficiaries impacted by the project.This sort of impact will be mirrored by the alumni group in the years to come, however the legacy of this project already stands high as one more example that small initiatives can have surprising ripples of impact.

Contact the project: Dr. Nikhita Madhanpall, nikhita@astro4dev.org

Project URL: https://www.astro4dev.org/flagship-themes/flagship-on-knowledge-and-skills-for-development/big-data-hackathons/ 

5. Video Astronomy Lessons for School children, Pakistan

By Dana Ficut-Vicas

Introduction

The Project “Video Astronomy Lessons for Pakistani School Children”(Astro4Pak) is the story of how the “most defining moment” of ones life can be an inspiration to positively impact others from afar. A boy from a country named Pakistan, decides to become an astronomer after watching the television series “Cosmos” (which is based on the book written by Carl Sagan). After years abroad he returns to Pakistan to share the knowledge and the love for astronomy with Urdu speaking children.

Project Coordinator

Dr. Salman Hameed grew up in Pakistan and fell in love with astronomy when the “Cosmos” TV series was broadcast in Pakistan. He followed his passion and got a bachelors in Physics and Astronomy at Stony brook University, New York and a PhD in Astronomy at New Mexico University. During his postdoc at Massachusetts University, he started engaging in science in a more interdisciplinary way, accepting an interdisciplinary faculty position in science and society. Always involved in astronomy and science communication, astronomy for development came as a natural blend between his previous astronomy studies and his current direction of research on science and society. From his point of view, astronomy can most impact development in four ways:

1. Using astronomy as a gateway to getting people interested in science;
2. Transposing the international collaborative character of astronomy into helping with other challenges in a cross border manner.
3. Using astronomy to highlight issues like climate change and light pollution.
4. Using astronomy to think about some of the fundamental questions in both humanity and sciences and involve critical thinking to inspire openness to new ideas.

Challenge & Context: 

The challenge that this project addresses is inspiring kids to do science and explore science in middle and low income countries. “I am lucky to have experienced the love for astronomy”,  Dr. Salman Hameed says. The need addressed by this project is getting high quality educational material in developing countries. Salman Hameed’s solution is producing such content for Urdu speaking children in a video format that can be accessible remotely and by many. The “Video Astronomy Lessons for Pakistani School Children’’ (Astro4Pak) project came to be when Dr. Salman Hameed, as a video astronomy content developer on YouTube, was contacted by the Government of Pakistan to provide video content for the TV program “Tele School”, a program meant to aid children progress in school during the COVID19 lockdown. The Astro4pak project originates from the idea of honoring the government request in a most appropriate way, which meant adapting the content with the national curriculum in Pakistan and to the age levels of the children it was addressed to. Moreover, the video content was to represent an interdisciplinary approach through reorganizing information around the curiosity and inspiration for science.

Activities: 

The main activity of this project is developing high quality video astronomy lessons for school children. The final product is a package of 10 videos, which touch upon different astronomy themes that are part of the national curriculum in Pakistan for different age levels. Using his background in both astronomy and interdisciplinary studies on science and society, Dr. Salman Hameed is carefully designing his product to stand the test of time and be an inspiration for other materials for the developing countries. He is preoccupied by both the content and communication of this content, turning these videos into an educational experience that can reach children from afar.     

Results:  

“The big gap in the developing world is high quality content” says Dr. Salman Hameed. He has produced eight video astronomy lessons for children and two more are on the way. He strived for and achieved good quality with both the content and the presentation mode. And good quality means correlating the content with the national curriculum of Pakistan, adapting the content for the age of the audience, making sure the videos contain local representations to help children relate with the content, providing role models, adding subtitles in Urdu and English, carefully chosen characters, addressing misconceptions, being inspirational and stimulating curiosity. 

Even though the TeleSchool stopped taking new material, the videos were disseminated on the YouTube channel and on the project’s Facebook page. A  larger promotional campaign was prepared with the aim to introduce the package of ten videos as supplementary material in both private and public schools across Pakistan. Another promotional campaign is being prepared for the general public, which aims to raise the number of viewers from a few thousand currently to hundreds of thousands. The interaction with the public is done on Facebook through all sorts of activities such as Q& A sessions or live observations with a telescope. A lot of children responded via Facebook and interacted with the project organizers, once a girl became a presenter herself in a Facebook event. This “crossing horizon” event, where a spectator becomes a character, or a presenter, inspired the Astro4Pak team for the future to travel to different schools across Pakistan and make live Facebook sessions as a way of interacting with their public and to promote the product they created.

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 

The coordinator of Astro4Pak, Salman Hameed, was faced with tackling the difference between developing astronomy and astronomy for development. In his professional career, his working angle is creating interest in astronomy, but in this project his perspective changed and he realized that “Astronomy can serve as a gateway to interesting science or to understanding the world that is shaped by science”.  

SDG 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Target 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.

Target 4.7   By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

Embracing this interdisciplinary approach, his educational interventions were centered on the children and their needs, and the efficiency of the learning process. Hence, this project has a significant impact on the school children from Pakistan as it contributes greatly to quality education for all (SDG 4) and grants children access to knowledge about astronomy (Target 4.5 and Target 4.7). 

SDG 10. Reduce Inequalities within and among countries

Target 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

SDG 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Target 16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements. 

This project addresses inequalities in the access to quality educational content in different areas in the world, by bringing such content to Pakistan, a country in need. In this way it contributes to SDG 16, target 16.10 and SDG 10, target 10.2.

SDG 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Target 17.6 By 2030, Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism.

The project was inspired by the collaboration of the Astro4pak team and the government who asked for educational content for children to broadcast in their TeleSchool program that was running on TV during COVID19 lockdowns. Even though a change in government disturbed this collaboration, this project also has a contribution to SDG 17, target 17.6.

Conclusions: 

The Astro4Pak project produced high quality video educational content for the children of Pakistan. In the process, built expertise and experience in creating quality content, experience which they are ready to share with anybody interested in following a similar path. One of the key lessons shared with us by Dr. Salman Hameed is that “it is not what you know that is crucial but rather how you condensed the important information in a cohesive way”. The Astro4pak project will be followed by new projects such as an astronomy news show for kids once a month, in which astronomy news is simplified for kids to understand, giving them the ability to stay connected with astronomy as a science beyond the school curriculum. Another project to follow is creating astronomy/science clubs all over Pakistan and then a network of clubs that share an online portal where activities, infrastructure and expertise can be shared to ensure the sustainability of the clubs in the long run. 

Contact the project: Salman Hameed,  salmanhameed@kainaatstudios.com 

Project URL: https://www.astro4dev.org/category/video-astronomy-lessons-for-pakistani-school-children/ 

6. OruMbya: Astronomy as fuel of life, the resilience of stars in Yoruba, Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous Cosmogony, Brazil

By Dana Ficut-Vicas

Introduction

The story of OruMbya is the story of Orum, meaning the sky and the Mbya, the name of an indigenous population in Brazil. OruMbya is a project that blends astronomy and culture for the benefit of young people searching for purpose and social and economic development whilst struggling with poverty and marginalization.  

Project Coordinators

The project is coordinated by Dr. Gracy Mary Moreira, Dr. Arianna Cortesi, Dr. Alan Alves Brito and B.Sc. Nilson Moreira, coming from very different cultures and united under the love for astronomy and for a better world. Dr. Gracy Mary Moreira has a background in human resources and administration and a Honoris Causa title for her work in different cultural projects. Dr. Arianna Cortesi is an astronomer, originating from Italy who studied her PhD in the UK and is currently a postdoc in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr. Alan Alves Brito is a Professor at the University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. B.Sc. Nilson Moreira is an independent system analyst, who works as a consultant at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dr. Gracy Mary Moreira is inspired by the sky. Her love for astronomy and her religion and culture of African origin are the roots of her deep connection with Nature and the Universe. Dr. Arianna Cortesi is motivated by the idea of changing the world in a peaceful way through meaningful actions of great impact. B.Sc Nilson Moreira desires to spread knowledge and love for technology and culture. Dr. Alan Alves Brito is not only a professor in astrophysics, but also a writer, for whom dissemination in Science is one of the most passionate expressions of the work of scientists and disseminators, fundamental in the fight against inequalities and racism in Brazil. 

Challenge & context:

Brazil is a country of great contrasts, where poverty is causing a lot of marginalization and impeding socio-economic development. Young people in poor neighborhoods are often too overwhelmed by the socio-economic challenges they are facing to be able to pursue a better life through education and culture.The OruMbya project aims to help these young people find purpose and strength in their culture and, through astronomy, learn that there are better ways to develop as persons.

Activities:

This project promotes the deepening of the human and Nature relation through culture and astronomy via the development of a variety of activities, from multicultural webinars to the creation of an allotment, a small garden, with many symbolic elements. The allotment, for example, is circular representing the wheel that keeps the world turning, and is divided in twelve sections which represent the hours of the day and the months of the year. The allotment is further divided in four zones representing the seasons. Inside this structure there are plants of African and Indigenous origin, rooted  just like the African and Indigenous roots in Brazilian culture. The allotment is a symbolic way of representing in one place Astronomy and African indigenous culture. 

Results:  

The exchange of knowledge was very important in this project because through knowledge, the curiosity to know more is stimulated and the cultural differences can be mitigated. “When we use culture to speak about any theme, the subject is common, but the way of speaking is different ” says Dr. Gracy Mary Moreira. This realization is very important for understanding and respecting each other when coming from different cultures. Exchanging knowledge and understanding each other will make cultural conflicts less frequent and allow for development. 

The beneficiaries of this project are 1400 people, mostly students and teachers, divided in three groups: 280 persons who have subscribed to online calls, 85 people who have participated in the online course “Cosmology connected to race”, lectured by Dr. Alan Alves Brito, and several people who are viewers of the video streaming of different project activities on YouTube. The participants are both international (Mozambique, Capo Verde) and Brazilians from within and outside Rio de Janeiro. All in all, there were around 350 direct beneficiaries and most of them still keep in contact with the project coordinator asking about new events and further developments on the allotment. The feedback from the audience of the project is always positive and most participants admit to being impressed by the combination of astronomy and culture that OruMBya project has achieved. Looking at the collection of development projects that the coordinators have run over the years which have been either on culture, astronomy or a combination of the two, OruMBya is the proof that the combination of astronomy and culture is so interesting to people, that it increases the stakeholders participation to the project, thus creating more impact.

UN sustainable development goals (SDGs): 

This project is reaching out to a very important category of beneficiaries, each of them having a potential impact on the next generations.

SDG 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Target 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations.

Target 4.7   By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

SDG 10. Reduce Inequalities within and among countries

Target 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. 

Offering these young people the opportunity for a better life through astronomy and culture by motivating them for social and economical development through education (SDG 4, Target 4.5, 4.7), contributes to reducing social inequalities (SDG 10, target 10.2).

SDG 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable

Target 11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

SDG 13.Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Target 13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

The allotment activity helps participants understand the connection to Nature from both astronomical and cultural point of view, increasing awareness for the need to protect our planet (SDG 13, target 13.3) and for the wealth of cultural and natural heritage that should be protected (SDG11, target 11.4).

SDG 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Target 17.6 By 2030, Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism.

All this is achieved through a collaboration, a mutual understanding between groups of people with diverse cultural backgrounds, united under a sense of belonging to the project and the purpose of achieving harmony with Nature (SDG 17, target 17.6).

Conclusions: 

The great challenge the OruMbya project is tackling needs time to be achieved. However the results on the small scale are really positive and only by continuing such activities can the change for the better really become visible in Brazilian society. This project has inspired a new project “OruMBya women in a social technological world”, which will use astronomy and the idea of allotments in a new context, focusing on the dissemination of STEM among young girls. With the support of the British Council, this new project will organize a series of five courses focused on women in different aspects of Science and Culture, with a particular focus on black and indigenous women.

The lesson we learn from the OruMBya project is that there is power in cultural understanding and tolerance. The OruMBya project used astronomy to achieve this cultural understanding and showed that cultural diversity is a richness of the humanity and should not be a reason for conflict.

Contact the project: Arianna Cortesi, casa@tiaciata.org.br, aricorte@gmail.com, alan.brito@ufrgs.br 

Project URL: https://www.astro4dev.org/category/orumbya-astronomy-as-fuel-of-life/