Funding Friday: How $1 Can Make A Difference For Tanzanian Astronomy

If you have a dollar to spare, why not share it? That’s the attitude that Astronomers Without Borders is encouraging people to adopt as it talks about contributing to a Tanzanian campaign to increase astronomy education in the African country.

There’s a crowdfunding campaign on right now to build a Center for Science Education and Observatory. With 23 days to go, 18% of the needed $38,000 has already been raised.

“The highly successful program Telescopes to Tanzania, of the international non-profit organization Astronomers Without Borders, has been actively supporting the East African nation’s schools since 2011. Tanzanian students are without textbooks and many basic educational resources we take for granted in western countries. Teacher training in science is often lacking,” the Indiegogo page reads.

“Now we are building The Center for Science Education and Observatory in East Africa to provide training for teachers, hands-on laboratories, an astronomical observatory, and quality educational resources that will all have a long-lasting impact nationwide.”

Once the center is ready, the campaign pledges it will be able to sustain itself through activities such as astro-tourism.