On 20 March 2025, the Citizen Science Association of Southern Africa (CSA-SA), in partnership with the Water Research Commission (WRC), the IIE MSA, and Ecolink Environmental Education and Training Centre, hosted a landmark webinar in celebration of World Water Day. The event marked the first in a series of CSA-SA activities for the year and featured the official launch of the Citizen Science Online Training Platform (WRC TT 933/23).
Prof. Jaqui Goldin, interim executive of CSA-SA, opened the webinar by outlining the association’s vision of inclusive, cross-disciplinary growth. She emphasized CSA-SA’s commitment to becoming a formalized legal entity with long-term goals that include member working groups, an academic journal, and hosting the Citizen Science Association for Africa Conference in 2027.
WRC’s Mr. Bonani Madikizela underscored the Commission’s ongoing support for citizen science, highlighting efforts in tool development, data standardization, and the nation’s first citizen science-based State of Rivers Report.
A powerful keynote was delivered by Dr. Stuart Warner of UNEP/GEMS, who spoke on the critical role of citizen scientists in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.3.2. He emphasized the urgent need for better data representation from lower-income countries and cited successful case studies from across Africa.
The platform launch was led by Ms. Gugulethu Shabalala and Ms. Charlene Russell from GroundTruth, who demonstrated the training modules and tools such as MiniSASS. They also shared key insights from community implementation, stressing the importance of blended learning and ongoing support to ensure data quality.
Ms. Linda Downsborough (IIE MSA) concluded the webinar with a reflection on the promise and potential of citizen science in transforming water resource management. She called for sustainable funding models to support long-term impact.
The event attracted nearly 70 participants and set the tone for an exciting year ahead for CSA-SA, with upcoming webinars, activities, and newsletters designed to promote citizen engagement and environmental stewardship across the region.