One of the goals of the AScIN network is also to impact science divulgation in african countries. Many projects are on the ground to adress this goal and the members of the network are working hard to implement all theses ideas.
The Maths Camps
Our first realiszation is to organize the first Maths Camp in Togo. The Maths Camps are an initiative of the SAMI (Supporting African Maths Initiatives) organization.
Maths Camps background, as told by SAMI:
In 2011 educators based at Maseno University in Kenya set out to revolutionise how mathematics was taught and perceived within African contexts. Establishing AMI, one of their cornerstones initiatives was to provide opportunities for students to see the beauty, excitement and usefulness of mathematics in the real world. They did this via an annual maths camp, hosted at the local university and open to students from nearby secondary schools.Since 2011 the camp has extended to Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and even London, and each year supports a mix of around 500 students, teachers and volunteers. We reached and important milestone in 2016, where two separate camps were organised and run entirely by local volunteers, hosted at the LEWA Wildlife Conservancy.
What is a maths camp?
Each camp usually consists of an initial planning week for volunteers, and then a second week of activities for students. The main idea is to come together in shared learning and enjoyment, exploring rich ideas that go far beyond what is traditionally taught in schools.
At the maths camp every day is packed full of great activities. We typically start around 8am with problems and puzzles, before moving on to the activities, games and workshops that allow students to discover for themselves the incredible applications of maths in the real world. The day finishes around 9pm, at which point the students are encouraged to share their reflections with each other and in their daily journals.
You can find more infos about the MathsCamp at the SAMI website:
The training workshops and free access to conferences for students
Aiming to help the young african entrepeneurs in the science aspect, AScIN have institute training shops during the CREPAS conferences. These workshops will be on some topics that the participants has vote for some months before the begening of he conference. The workshop is free for students and all young startups working on projects related to science.
We also give free access to students to the CREPAS conferences. There is always some exhibitions to their attentions, on science experiments for non-scientists.