Haiti FabLab Fund

Fablabs are a way challenge to ill-fitting mass produced solutions to personal problems. Fablabs are workshops with a suite of personal fabrication machines that allow users to make almost anything. What this means is different in each Fablab– a lab in rural India will be making completely different things from a Fablab in inner city Boston. The Fablabs all share similar technologies– a laser cutter, small 3 axis mill, vinyl cutter, electronics fabrication tools and a large 3 axis mill (view the latest inventory list), and are connected to each other via persistent video links. This allows any lab in the world to share processes and expertise with any other lab. The Fablabs started as an outreach program by MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms, and now encompass over 30 labs around the world.

Since about 2004 there has been interest from a wide cross-section of Haitians, the Haitian diaspora, and friends of Haiti to establish a Fablab in Haiti. As is often the case with Fablabs, finding a strong owner, users, and community will takes time to discuss and develop. The earthquake in January 2010 sharpened the need to focus on uses that are both short term practical as well as long term developmental in nature.

Yogesh Kulkarni pedals a drip-watering bicycle, near rapidly constructed bamboo greenhouses. Photos by Nadya Peek.

Now is the time to start rebuilding not just the Haiti that was there before the earthquakes, but Haiti as we want it. Haiti needs to function as their own government, their own economic stimulus and their own educators. Fablabs are part of addressing local needs, be it through objects or education.

We are currently talking to educators and communities in Haiti to determine the best Haitian stakeholder for a Fablab. Meanwhile, we have started fundraising for a Fablab, because either way it will take us a while to raise the 250k we need.

If we are unable to raise enough money for a Fablab in Haiti, the funds will roll over to Partners in Health’s Haiti Fund. Please donate now to help us build a Fablab for Haiti.