By Sizwe Dlamini
A total of 108 high school girls from across Eswatini have been selected to join their counterparts from 108 other Commonwealth nations in the all-girls spacecraft to lunar orbit science program, Mission ShakthiSat.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Information Communications and Technology (ICT), the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Indian Embassy to Eswatini.
The three-month program will involve 108 local girls learning online, with the best-performing girl in the kingdom winning a trip to India alongside other top performers from around the world.
Speaking during the launch of the program at the Ministry of ICT conference room, the Minister of ICT, Savanah Maziya, expressed excitement saying, “It is a profound honour to address the gathering as the world celebrates a historic milestone for women in space science and technology.”
“The launch of Mission ShakthiSat, an all-girls spacecraft to lunar orbit, is both a technological marvel and a symbol of hope for diversity and inclusion in STEM globally. Eswatini is proud to be part of this ground-breaking initiative, with 108 young girls in STEM selected to represent our nation in Mission ShakthiSat. Their participation highlights our dedication to fostering talent, innovation, and gender equality in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” she said.
Maziya added that she has been working with girls and women in STEM with the United Nations for the past 20 years, and this remains an area of focus for her.
“I am very clear that when women and girls are empowered, the world and space become a better place. We hold up half the sky. Space science is pivotal in the 4th and 5th Industrial Revolutions’ driving advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data—technologies essential for connectivity, environmental monitoring, and resource management. Recognizing this, Eswatini is developing a space science policy and establishing an observatory to guide our efforts and support evidence-based decision-making.
Your impressive record of launching 19 near-space vehicles, 3 suborbital payloads, and 5 orbital satellites inspires us as we advance our own aspirations,” she said.
Maziya also introduced Khulile Winifred Dlamini from the Ministry of ICT as Eswatini’s ambassador for Mission ShakthiSat. “Ms. Dlamini will represent our contributions to this mission while inspiring our youth to chase their dreams with courage and determination,” she said.
“As we prepare to launch our own space agency in Eswatini and participate in the new space economy, we understand that we are also launching a new era defined by diversity, inclusion, and global collaboration. This collaboration forms part of our strategy to build the capacity Eswatini will need for a successful launch into space,” she concluded.