This month, IDIN is thrilled to award grants for five new IDIN-supported maker spaces in Sierra Leone, Kenya, Nepal, and Zambia.

These grants will allow IDIN to explore and extend the impact of different maker space models while supporting dynamic inventors, innovators, and social entrepreneurs around the globe.

The funding is intended to complement or expand existing maker space activity or to help maker spaces get started over the next four to six months.

InLabs/Global Minimum Inc. – Freetown, Sierra Leone

In Freetown, IDIN will support two maker spaces: one in an all-boys high school, and the other in an all-girls high school. Both high schools have active technology clubs as well as workshop space and tools for wood and metal projects.

IDIN looks forward to exploring a high school-based innovation maker space model and to providing more opportunities for young women to get involved in the design process.

This initiative is led by MIT D-Lab Instructor and Media Lab PhD student David Sengeh.  MIT D-Lab was first connected to the all-boys high school involved in this effort through Kelvin Doe, a current student and prolific young innovator who visited MIT in 2012.

Ubuni Studio – Nairobi, Kenya

The Ubuni Studio is a new community-focused FabLab that compliments the academic-focused FabLab at the University of Nairobi that has grown over the past several years. “Ubuni” is Swahili for “design.”

IDIN looks forward to supporting community makers in Nairobi, a city bustling with energy and ingenuity.

This initiative is led by long-time FabLab champion and Executive Director of GearBox Dr. Kamau Gachigi.

Peace Innovation Lab/Nepal ko Yuwa – Lalitpur, Nepal

In Lalitpur, IDIN will support Peace Innovation Lab/Nepal ko Yuwa, a vibrant and growing youth movement expanding its programs to offer local young people access to workshop space and training in rural Nepal.

IDIN looks forward to exploring this model, which combines policy and leadership development with technology-based social entrepreneurship programming.

This initiative is led by Nimesh Ghimire, a Nepalese undergraduate at Swarthmore College.

Kafue Workshop of the Kingfisher Multipurpose Cooperative – Kafue, Zambia

The Kafue Workshop of the Kingfisher Multipurpose Cooperative is led by two outstanding IDIN Network members, Robert Shimaingo and Stephen Mvula, who are working on several long-term projects, including an underwater water turbine to generate electricity for local fishers.

IDIN looks forward to continuing its support of Robert and Stephen’s work, which engages and inspires the greater Kafue community.