The Universe Awareness Programme (UNAWE) with which the S.A. Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is intimately involved, has been honoured with the Science Prize for Online Resources in Education(SPORE) Award. Science Magazine introduced the SPORE award to showcase the best educational resources available on the Internet and to bring them to a wider audience.

The SAAO's involvement in the UNAWE programme has been very strong, and received funding recently from the EU. The SAAO is responsible for hosting the local manager of UNAWE.  Sivuyile Manxoyi, manager of the SALT Collateral Benefits Programme at SAAO, said: "We are delighted with the award. UNAWE focuses on young disadvantaged children and with its activities we are succeeding in awakening their curiosity, stimulating their interest in science and also encouraging them to appreciate the multicultural origins of astronomy and Africa's contributions to science."

The prize goes to Dr Carolina Ödman-Govender the developer of the UNAWE programme. She has worked in science for development for many years before joining the SAAO and the African Institute for Mathematical Science (AIMS).

"One of the key features of UNAWE is its openness - it is a form of crowd-sourced education. A vast networkmof educators contribute materials and resources, which are uploaded to the UNAWE website. They can then be distributed, adapted and translated for for use internationally," says Carolina who is passionate in her support of openness and availability of education.

UNAWE is an international programme that uses the beauty and grandeur of the Universe to inspire children aged 4-10 years, particularly those from disadvantaged backgounds. The programme uses astronomy to foster a sense of global citizenship and stimulate interest in science at a crucial stage in a child's development.The educational materials are produced by a network of almost 500 educators and astronomers in 40 countries - one of the biggest science educators' networks. The UNAWE programme is endorsed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).