(JUBA) – South Sudan has formally launched the Mayardit Academy for Space Science, an initiative that aims to use space technology to solve pressing development challenges while inspiring the country’s next generation of scientists.
The project was officially unveiled on Wednesday, September 10, in Juba, marking a significant step for South Sudan as it joins more than 20 African nations already exploring space related programmes.
Professor John Akech, the Project Director, said the idea was initially dismissed when he first presented it in December 2022 to the University of Juba. However, he explained that the vision has gained wide support as more people recognised its potential benefits for the country.
The academy is named after South Sudan’s first president and was designed with practical goals in mind. Unlike popular perceptions of space programmes focusing on astronauts and moon landings, the Mayardit Academy seeks to use satellite technology to address daily challenges such as climate forecasting, disaster response, agriculture planning, and water management.
Professor Akech highlighted that although satellite data on regional weather, floods and resource patterns is available, South Sudan does not currently have ownership or control over it. The academy, he said, is intended to bridge this gap and ensure local access to information critical for national planning.
“The mission is to use space for human needs, for agriculture, water, fighting famine and many other areas that matter to South Sudan,” Akech explained.
A central ambition of the project is to inspire young South Sudanese to see science as exciting and relevant. By making space a gateway, the academy hopes to encourage more students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), fields that are widely seen as essential for building South Sudan’s long-term economic and social development.
The programme also places emphasis on increasing the participation of women in STEM. At the University of Juba, women remain a minority in science-related studies, and the academy intends to change this trend through targeted initiatives.
The Mayardit Academy has secured crucial backing from international partners. The government of Israel has provided foundational support, including the involvement of an Israeli space expert who helped shape the academy’s focus on early education. A STEM Power programme will now introduce physics, mathematics and robotics kits to primary and secondary schools across South Sudan, with the aim of stimulating curiosity among younger learners.
With this support, the academy is expected to broaden access to science education across all levels of the education system and build a pipeline of future innovators.
Professor Akech said the launch represents an important milestone for the country. “South Sudan has joined the space countries in Africa,” he declared, describing the opening as a proud moment for a vision that was once met with scepticism but has now been transformed into reality.