AralSTEM

Our Mission

AralSTEM is committed to ensuring children in the Aral Sea region receive the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education they deserve, through free, hands-on and immersive science experiences, teacher training, and donation of educational resources.

I believe that when scientific phenomena are seen by children with their own eyes, and children get to experiment using the scientific principles that they are learning, it sparks a much greater interest and passion for the subject. By exposing them at a young age to science beyond the textbook, it gives them a greater grasp of the subject and an increased interest for pursuing science further at an older age.

How It Began

In June 2023, I went on my annual visit to the area where my parents grew up in Khorazm, Uzbekistan (coincidentally where al-Khwarizmi, the so called "father of algebra" was born). However, this time, there was more than just seeing family and friends on the agenda; I taught a series of free, hands-on science lessons to the children at the local school.

By studying in London and California, I had been privileged to be able to access a first-rate science education. My aim was to give a similar experience to the local children, showing them the wonders of science by applying theory in practice. I had visited the school before, and I knew that the science education was lacking in practical aspects due to the traditional ways of teaching science, with a heavy focus on theory and rote learning. This spurred me on to create the content for a series of interactive lessons that I would teach to the children.

For me, the lessons were an eye-opening experience, and seeing the spark in the children's eyes as they learned, experimented and built was incredibly fulfilling. The classes went so well and the children were so engaged that they didn't even want to leave at the end of the lessons, and many of them asked me to return and teach more classes in the future. Overall, realising just how much the children learnt from the classes confirmed to me that I was on the right track.

Looking Forward

I know that I can't solve systematic shortcomings in science education through a few lessons, but I'm determined to do my part: I decided to expand the initiative and launch the AralSTEM website so that I can have a greater impact.

I observed two major factors that if addressed, would greatly improve the science education. First was the lack of teacher training in running hands-on science lessons. The second main factor was a lack of funding. In order to address this, I am expanding the project by giving online lessons to and sharing my content with teachers so that they can incorporate hands-on science education into the curriculum, and also training other high school students to do the same. Additionally, those delivering the lessons cannot be expected to cover the cost, which is incredibly expensive for those in the region. Your donations will help us fund these classes, allowing us to reach more children throughout Central Asia, beginning in the Khorazm area. Please visit the Donate and Volunteer pages to learn more.