A First Africa Wide Amateur Radio Contact Experiment with the International Space Station
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program is recognized by its great Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) impact: it brings space science to education and outreach initiatives by enabling direct contact with astronauts in orbit and other space savvy professionals. Strategic partnerships between ARISS and digital platforms for citizen science act as a powerful real-world STEM motivator and can overcome logistical barriers, demonstrating a scalable model for inclusive outreach, sparking curiosity in space exploration and STEM careers among underrepresented communities. As a case study, this article focus on the impact of an historic milestone: on April 18$^{th}$ 2025 the Pan-African Citizen Science e-Laboratory (PACS e-Lab) orchestrated the first Africa-wide ARISS contact experiment and connected 300 students, educators, and STEM enthusiasts from 38 African nations and beyond with NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers aboard the ISS Expedition 72. Within the African context, this initiative not only inspired a new generation of African scientists, but it also set a precedent for wider collaboration on space science education across the continent. Strategic partnership between ARISS and PACs e-LAB promotes capacity building through international and regional cooperation on space science and adds a new "New Space" narrative that emphasizes the interconnectedness of space with our daily lives and the possibility that everyone has to be a part of it.