Today, we would like to officially recognize the efforts of Ms. Molly Kgobathe, the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach National Outreach Coordinator for Botswana.
Our journey with Ms. Molly began in June 2021, around the time PACS e-Lab was emerging. While searching for a regional collaborator in Botswana, we discovered her through Google as the IAU National Outreach Coordinator for Botswana and reached out. After our initial conversations, she welcomed our projects, received training, and has since been actively engaging students from the University of Botswana, where she works as a lab demonstrator in the Department of Computer Science.
A few months after our first encounter, student engagement grew, leading her to establish the University of Botswana Astronomy Club as an umbrella organization for students from various departments, including Physics, Computer Science, and Chemistry, who are participating in our projects.
Ms. Molly also serves as the Event Secretary of the Astronomical Society of Botswana.
In recognition of her outstanding work, and thanks to the generosity of the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) and Dr. Charles Takalani of the AfAS Secretariat, we are proud to donate a Celestron NexStar 60 GT 60mm Refractor Telescope to Ms. Molly N. Kgobathe and the University of Botswana Astronomy Club.
This donation aims to support and enhance astronomy education and outreach in Botswana as our collaboration with her students continues to grow.
