On Tuesday, 25 November 2025, the OAD team travelled to Tsitsing village in the North West Province, South Africa, to visit the Kgosana Rakhudu Foundation. The purpose of the visit was to learn more about the Foundation’s work, share the OAD’s programmes, and explore possible ways to collaborate in the future. On arrival in Tsitsing, the OAD team was warmly welcomed by the Foundation’s representatives. The OAD delegation included: Mr Kevin Govender – Director, Dr Charles Takalana – Deputy Director, Dr Joyful Mdhluli – Flagships Coordinator, Ms Azasiwe Mancwatela – Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.
The day started with presentations from both teams, creating a good space for learning and open discussion. Mr Kevin Govender opened the session by introducing the work of the OAD. He gave a broad and clear overview of the science of astronomy and the major astronomy infrastructure in South Africa, and further delved into the work of the OAD and structure of the organisation. This helped the Kgosana Rakhudu Foundation team understand how astronomy is linked to education and development. The presentation helped place astronomy into a broader development context, showing how science can be a tool for education, inspiration, and community growth.
Dr Joyful Mdhluli then presented the OAD Flagship Programmes: Astronomy for socioeconomic development (Astrotourism), Astronomy for Mental Health, and Astronomy skills for development (Hack4Dev). She explained how these programmes work, the type of projects supported, and the impact they have in communities. Also highlighting the many opportunities for collaboration between the OAD and the Kgosana Rakhudu Foundation.
Dr Charles Takalana closed the OAD presentations by speaking about partnerships. He explained how the OAD works with different organisations across Africa and the world, and how strong partnerships help grow impact and sustainability.
On behalf of the Kgosana Rakhudu Foundation, Dr Koketso Rakhudu and his team gave an overview of their work. They explained the structure of the organisation and the various community programmes they run. Their focus on skills development, training, and youth empowerment stood out clearly during the presentation.
Visit to the community academy:
After the presentations, both teams went for a site visit to the Kgosana Rakhudu Foundation’s Community Education & Training Centre, Tsitsing. The academy is accredited by Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and offers different skills-based courses to the local community. These courses are taught at a communal school used as a training centre. The Foundation trains about 700 students every quarter. Through partnerships with other organisations, around 200 students are absorbed into the local workforce, creating a strong pipeline that allows them to move from training into employment. This model helps young people gain certificates, work experience, and real opportunities for income.
While seated in one of the classrooms, both teams had an open and meaningful discussion about possible partnerships. Spoke about how astronomy, science outreach, and skills training could be linked to the work already being done in Tsitsing. Ideas were shared, questions were asked, and possible areas of collaboration began to take shape. The discussion was grounded, practical, and focused on opportunities for collaboration, shared goals, and centered on creating real benefit for the community. The Tsitsing visit was a meaningful exchange between two teams committed to community development and collaboration The day left both teams encouraged and hopeful about what could be built together in the future.
