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the afronauts, cristina de middel

The Afronauts by Cristina De Middel

In 1964, still living the dream of their recently gained independence, Zambia started a space program that would put the first African on the moon catching up the USA and the Soviet Union in the space race.

Only a few optimists supported the project by Edward Makuka, the school teacher in charge of presenting the ambitious program and getting its necessary funding. But the financial aid never came, as the United Nations declined their support, and one of the astronauts, a 16 year old girl, got pregnant and had to quit.

That is how the heroic initiative turned into an exotic episode of the african history, surrounded by wars, violence, droughts and hunger.

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