Nigeria accounts for more than one in five out-of-school children and 45 percent of out-of-school children in West Africa. Even more worrisome is the fact that at least 2 out of every 3 out of school kids in Nigeria are girls. This means out of this 13.2 million out of school kids, roughly 66% are female. Financial difficulties, unexpected pregnancy, early marriage, change in career goals – vocational training, parents’ attitudes, graduate unemployment, socio-economic status, family size and general lack of interest in school are some of the factors responsible for this number. Ajaja (2012) https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1066762.pdf The Astronomy camps for Girls aim to target girls, who are out of school mainly due to lack of interests. Not all the girls are interested in going back to school, our aim is to target the girls who can be inspired by Astronomy into returning to school. Astronomy Camps would be organized in communities that have the highest numbers out of school girls, and part of this project would be to see that the girls who are interested in returning to school are encouraged, followed up and helped back into the school system. Primary Education is almost free, tuition and some essential books are highly subsidized, also, some states have free lunch, however, parents have to be responsible for their ward’s transport allowance. AWB Nigeria would be partnering state governments, to encourage girls to re-enroll in schools through this project.

With 5 different camps, our target is to get 500 girls back to the classroom by the end of year 2020. We hope to develop a feedback program that involves the families of the selected girls

The students from DASN is conducting Python Workshop, Latex Workshop, visiting schools for astronomy outreach. It helped us to create awareness about the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). Since most of the DASN participants were involved in school teaching, we have seen the impact in the school education as well.  Several science clubs have been established to engage students in STEAM activities. Also, the collaborative environment among the participants of DASN is another successful aspect of the project. Students from province-4 also organised Python and Latex workshop for their colleagues and juniors.

Unlike in 2018, we plan to take students from the 2nd 3rd year for the proposed workshop and the winter school. We believe, it will give us ample time to do follow up with the students for  their activities as our previous students did for their faculties, colleagues and juniors.  With proper mentorships and tracking, we are trying to find the best approach to link students’ work with their academic excellence. Taking students from the 2nd year is a trial to see how effective we go with the project in 2020.  We hope DASN2.0 will allow us to create such community in another provinces.

It is therefore essential that we train students and (young) scientists with the skills to tackle the advanced challenges this new breed of radio telescope are presenting, starting at understanding the characteristics of radio data and handling large data volumes, up to the astrophysical analysis and interpretation of the resulting large data sets. A workshop of this nature is therefore set to entice and encourage faculties in helping to see the need for Data Science being an integral part of the university degree programs. An engagement of faculty heads and stakeholders in this regard will therefore help in streamlining and adapting a good curriculum for teaching Data Science in Ghanaian universities.  A couple of data mining firms will be invited to speak on some practical projects they have been engaged in over the years.

Chinguetti has a population of almost 5 thousand people and the tourists staying there mainly use private homes that the inhabitants (mostly women) provide and take benefit of. Most houses can already welcome tourists and more precise numbers will come during phase1. Currently, we have connections with families of Chinguetti, and with funders for phase 2. We are supported by Maître Bouhoubeyni from Nouakchott, president of Human right for Mauritania. During phase 1, we will build connections with Mauritanian universities, possible new funders detailed below and organisations for tourism market.

With phase2+, MONOD can enrich the network of ground-based facilities and research activities, bringing recognition at international level with researchers and amateurs.

In each of monthly content, parallel will be done to celebrate our common humanity, to discuss environmental awareness, social issues in the sciences — such as implicit bias, stereotype threat, gender roles, inequality. These last topic will be arranged by our team according to specific topic.

The broadcast plan: Astronomy/Telluric worlds/Review and online contest 1 (+ impact survey)/Giant worlds/Smallest worlds/Review and online contest 2 (+ impact survey)/

Some challenges in Haiti will be addressed like false religious interpretations of natural facts, disinterest for school, women in science and exclusion from global science. SSBH will inspire the youths to take more interest in education, it will lead to more interest in science among public, the pupils and students.Examples will be carefully prepared from history of astronomy to show and discuss on air and online about these challenge and also they will be represented in the impact survey.

Ust-Orda village in Irkutsk region has the ethnographic museum. It has no particular exposition devoted to any of the celestial phenomenon or any images its constellations, related myths and beliefsves of Buryats about starry sky. Irkutsk planetarium and IRAS will draw the original sky map of the Buryat ethnos and save its myths and novels about the sky for the human heritage. Drawing the sky map and preparing the exhibition will help to improve the quality of education by bringing schoolchildren to the museum and to make the Ust-Orda province more attractive for tourists. We will advertise the exhibition widely using all the kinds of media. Therefore, the local economy will get more money. Schools will visit the exhibition in groups as a part of Buryat culture classes.

On the first stage we will make an exposition for the ethnographic museum. It will contain the skymap, the replication of the astronomical instruments and different artifacts referring to astronomical observations. We plan to implement only this stage in this proposal.

We also have plans for developing this project in the future. The second stage will have the output in Web site which contains the interactive Buryat aboriginal sky map with related myths and legends. At the third stage we will produce the planetarium full dome show with the accompaniment of Buryat ethnic music and stories.  The show will be included in the schedule of Irkutsk Planetarium (45 000 annual attendance), and we will try to spread it among other planetariums in Russia and abroad. If we do not perform these tasks and the Buryat sky map will not appear with great probability nobody will do it an

The left-behind adolescent problem is a long-lasting issue in rural areas of China. It means children whose parents work in big cities for living and have to leave their children raised by distant relatives. Based on a Chinese NGO report “The spiritual status of Chinese left-behind children 2018”, there are nearly 10 million left-behind children in China. Due to poor education condition and absence of personal care from their parents, these children behave far below average in the compulsory education courses. Moreover, as affected by ancient traditions, female adolescents are easier to be left.

With collaboration between local government, education bureau and women’s federation in Pingtang, Peking University and Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), we will organize a one-week workshop for forty school teachers and forty left-behind students. The workshop includes four-day astronomy and psychology aid methodology training to the teachers, one-day astronomy career path introduction to the students and one-day FAST visit for teachers and students. We expect this project to be the flagship project in this region inspiring future long-lasting program on astronomy education and poverty reduction.

The ultimate goal of the project is to embark on mass public education outreach and awareness campaign on issues of Climate Change; Peace and Social Cohesion; Quality Education for All; Sexual and Gender-Based Violence; and also, to propagate the existence of Astronomy, pioneer the establishment Amateur Astronomy Clubs and carry out membership mobilization across communities in Sierra Leone. 

The project intends to use the Training of Trainers Workshop; Peer Educators Workshop; Townhall Meeting / Public Lecture; Astronomy Football Gala; Astronomy Moonlight Carnival; and Digital Media Literacy Training Program; as a vehicle to convey information, education, and awareness campaign messages about Climate Change; Peace and Social Cohesion; Quality Education for All; Sexual and Gender-Based Violence; and Astronomy to the target audience, and beneficiaries, across the 3 project communities “MAKENI, BO, and KAMAKWIE” and beyond.

The purpose of these activities is to empower the target audiences to become certified Astronomy Trainers, Peer Educators, Desktop Publisher and Graphic Designers. Also, to sensitize participant athletes, spectators, of the public lectures, sports and entertainment events about Climate Change; Peace and Social Cohesion; Quality Education for All; Sexual and Gender-Based Violence; and Astronomy as well as promote peaceful coexistence across the 3 project communities.

The caravan will take off with the Townhall Meeting / Public Lecture across the 3 project communities, and will stop at Makeni to hold the 3 days Training of Trainers Workshop and 3 days Peer Educators Workshop and will then proceed to the 3 project communities again to deliver the Digital Media Literacy Training ; Astronomy Football Gala; and the Astronomy Moonlight Carnival.

Work plan of the project

• Creation of an official webpage of the workshop, (Jan)

• Announcement of the workshop and call for registration, (Feb)

• Distribution of e-mail announcements on a regular basis with wide involvement of mass media, (Feb-Jun)

• Preparation of necessary materials (posters, participants’ kits, including bags, badges, etc.) and areas (workshop hall, etc.), (Jul-Sep)

• Publication of a book of abstracts of papers to be presented at the workshop, workshop information booklet, poster contributions, postcards of astronomical heritage sites of the region, CD/DVDs of contributions, etc., (Aug)

• Revision of applications and selection of participants, (Jul-Aug)

• Drafting, publication of the agenda, list of participants, etc., (Aug-Sep)

• Welcoming the participants, airport, the hotels, then to the venue of the workshop transfers,  (Sep)

• Organization of oral contributions and posters, meals, coffee-breaks, sightseeing tours, and other social events. (Sep)

The project will also contribute to promoting IAU’s visibility in the region. A separate session of the workshop will be devoted to IAU ROAD activities. By the collaboration of the Armenian and Turkish astronomers the workshop will promote peace and prosperity in the academic sphere of

Astro Adventures as the name suggests is about infusing the out-door adventurous aspect of astronomy with the power of experiential learning, thereby delivering an unforgettable experience.

The proposed initiative can be divided in to three phases or steps:

1. Astro Adventures participants based in large cities will be charged for astro-tourism trips to dark sky sites. These trips will generate conversations (especially through social media and online avenues) about astronomy and enhance the numbers of amateur astronomers in Pakistan.

2. The revenues generated from these trips will be used to train teachers and educate students in backward areas with hands on astronomy, telescope making workshops and lectures. As the trips are usually at least 2 days, therefore the local school children will also be given a chance to experience astronomy observation first hand.

3. The third step is that the revenues raised from these trips will be used to provide basic telescopes (Simple refractors and Newtonian reflectors) and training materials to the schools in less developed areas. Along with a training session for local school teachers on how to conduct observation sessions. This way, a long-term impact can be created within just a matter of a few months.

Let’s look at the event that we held on 30th October 2018 or many events afterward. (The link to the images of that event is here https://pakastronomers.com/activities). The event was organized in collaboration with the students of the school (in Gujar Khan, semi urban town near Islamabad) and its teachers. These events along with basic training and simple refractor telescopes, will enable the teachers to conduct observation sessions on their own thereby promoting astronomy in Pakistan.

The deaf community, over the years has established communication strategies, which in the case of Colombia is called (LSC) Colombian Sign Language, which in very specific fields such as astronomy does not have enough signs, making this community exclude from participating in outreach activities. Therefore, in the biweekly sessions and events in the institutions, it will be sought that, as the community becomes a participant in the scientific culture, also its producers of their own language, reaching agreements that allow consolidating methodological strategies in the approach of the themes suggested from the interests of the deaf community, as well as the construction of the signs that are necessary.

The difference with what has been done is that it is understood as a language that is innate to culture, which is why it is incorrect to name it as sign language, a difference that has occurred since the international congress of the deaf in 1951 in Rome and is recognized that each country has its own culture and from there each country has worked to strengthen its own sign language. In the case of Colombian Sign Language (LSC), after conducting a judicious review, no signs focused on astronomy are recognized to date.

A pilot study of potential for attracting foreign and local astro-tourists as well as nearby schools, teachers and parents, will be conducted at tourist hotels that are on tourist circuits, in two contrasting sites in tourist area Arusha, and Mbeya on the Cape to Cairo Road near the Mbozi meteorite. Three hotels have been contacted and have shown interest.

Expert tutors will train five astro-tour guides from each hotel, for four weeks with hands-on training in astronomy and instrumentation and night sky practicals of night sky attractions visible during the whole year.  One telescopes will be purchased for training and used in observatories at the hotels by transporting from one to the other hotel.  With attrition of two students, eight trained astro-tour guides will be allocated four each at the two hotels in Arusha and Mbeya for two months. 

Pairs of astro-tour guides will guide the astro-tourists, two for evening shift and two for dawn shift for 4 weeks each.  A reasonable fee will be charged (10 USD for foreign and 2 USD in TSH for local) for night sky and telescope observations with expert commentaries. Flyers and social media will be used to advertise the night sky activities. Fees will be reduced significantly for local astro-tourists during last week to check whether the initial fees were reasonable. Income accrued during this pilot project will be shared between hotel, project team and astro-tour guides under a ratio to be agreed with the hotels.

Visitor numbers and their comments will be recorded diligently evaluation sheets will be offered to the astro-tourists for comments.  One tutor will supervise at the two hotels for 4 weeks each

We will kickstart this effort through a week-long astronomy event. This will include a 3-day astronomy workshop with the following:

(1) Talks by Malaysian professional astronomers from diverse backgrounds, research expertise and career stages about their work and experience.

(2) Small group sessions in 4 different languages for informal interactions between students and professional astronomers.

(3) Panel discussions between astronomers and relevant stakeholders, e.g. education ministry representatives, STEM-related NGOs, amateur astronomy groups, students, on how to develop astronomy in Malaysia, provide more opportunities for future astronomers, and better prepare students for an astronomy career.

This will be followed by a 2-day roadshow, in which the professional astronomers will be divided into teams and sent to 5 other regions in Malaysia to participate in locally organized outreach events at schools/universities/observatories and further connect with potential future astronomers. We will launch an online Malaysian astronomers directory and create an online platform for continued interactions between professional astronomers and the public.

This will also be the first time Malaysian astronomers based both locally and overseas will gather together in one place, to forge long-term collaborations and generate more local training and research opportunities for students.

Our project takes advantage of Network of Astronomy School Education (NASE) training program that provides two experts to come to Tanzania at their cost. Training is conducted by the NASE experts together with local tutors who are members of Astronomy and Space Science Association of Tanzania (ASSAT).  Training uses tested lectures and group workshops and hands-on activities, discussion and practical night skies observations and telescope. http://sac.csic.es/astrosecundaria/en/politica_calidad/Lista.php.

Forty to fifty participants will be chosen from among teachers from primary and secondary schools in urban and rural areas near and around Dar es Salaam, with equal representation of female and male trainees.  Trainee teachers will be carefully canvassed for motivativated teachers who will sign a statement to agree (excluding emergency or unbearable circumstances) to remain  a t the school and teach astronomy for a period of at least two years after the training. Teachers will get a training manual to use as a resource. Trainees will be kept in close touch with the local tutors to assist when needed.

NASE program covers travel costs of NASE experts but local costs are paid by the hosts. Funding is needed to cover the local costs of room, board, and local transport for two NASE experts, a telescope, training materials and consumables, and five days’ hostel accommodation and food for participants.