This project aims to use Astronomy as a tool to counsel, heal and educate children whom have been traumatised by conflicts related to farmers-herdsmen clashes in Kaduna State, Nigeria. According to UNICEF and National Bureau for Statistics, about 10.5 million children are out of school in Nigeria, and over 60% of these children are in northern Nigeria, where Kaduna State is located. In the midst of low numbers of school enrolment, conflicts between local farmers and cattle herdsmen in the region have made these numbers plunge even deeper through displacing over 30,000 people from their towns. The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency acknowledges that displaced persons are camped in IDP camps in the Tudun Wada, Anguwan Rimi, Nassarawa and Unguwar Muazu areas in Kaduna State. This situation has the potential to cause greater problems of inequality, poverty and reduced opportunities for children caught up in this conflict.
The plan is to have an astronomy outreach program to cater for 500 IDP (Internally displaced persons) children and to provide solar powered astronomer’s learning hubs. The main aim of the outreach is to induce awareness of astronomy with children that have been displaced by the conflict. Project activities will include coupling a Galileoscope, tinkering with microcontrollers/DC motors, showing educative documentaries, engaging in star gazing with Telescopes and several others.