CPAS PhD student Vanessa de Kauwe left Australia on March 2 for Zimbabwe and Zambia to run local disability and gender equality education workshops with Stuart Kohlhagen, formerly of Questacon.

In 2017, visiting science centre leaders from Africa participated in a disability education workshop on-site at CPAS (pictured above). 

"They asked if this sort of training could be done back home," said Ms de Kauwe. 

"Places like Zimbabwe and Zambia used to lead in disability education, but the current political climate has made it less of a priority." 

Ms de Kauwe said they are hoping to reignite inclusive education, and strengthen the already existing relationships with CPAS in the countries. The local workshops she runs will contribute to ongoing sustainable education, with the local science communicators reaching out to local schools to train them in turn. 

They will be spending the first week in Zimbabwe in the capital with colleages from Botswana, the second week in rural Zimbabwe, and the third week in Zambia, culminating in the all-African Science Buskers Festival. 

The initative is funded by an Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Direct Aid Program grant and supported by the Australian Embassy in Zimbabwe and the Zambian High Commission in Canberra. 

You can listen to Ms de Kauwe talk about her work on an episode of the Wholesome Show podcast.