Today, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to Ms. Thobekile Ngwane, the President of the Zimbabwe Astronomical Society.
Our journey with Ms. Ngwane began in July 2022, through a recommendation by Prof. Shazrene Mohammed, as we sought a regional citizen science collaborator from Zimbabwe. It has been a true blessing to work with her group, as she has made remarkable contributions by actively engaging students from Zimbabwe in our projects.
Ms. Ngwane’s passion for astronomy outreach has been evident since her undergraduate days at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), where she co-founded the Applied Physics Astronomy Club. This initiative was aimed at spreading the love and knowledge of astronomy among students.
Her dedication to the field grew further when she pursued a master’s degree in Astronomy at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. During this time, she co-founded the Zimbabwe Astronomical Society (ZAS), which has since become an official entity uniting professional astronomers in Zimbabwe.
In recognition of her outstanding work, and through the generosity of the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) and Dr. Charles Takalani, the AfAS Secretariat, we are proud to officially donate a Celestron NexStar 60 GT 60mm Refractor Telescope to the Zimbabwe Astronomical Society. This gift is intended to support and enhance astronomy education and outreach in Zimbabwe, as our collaboration with ZAS continues to grow.