[GSEF2016]: The first Ivorian Fab Lab and space for free digital fabrication and use of free software

Category: 
Africa
SSE Organisation
Class: 
Future of Work / Technology

Presented at: GSEF2016 Montreal

Organisation: Baby Lab (SSE Organization)

Date: September 8, 2016

Presenter: Mr. Guiako Obin (Cofounder and President)

Contactsguiako.o@gmail.com

Summary

Baby Lab is the first Ivorian Fab Lab included in the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) registry and has been labelled as a Territory of Tomorrow by their foundation. The space is located in Abobo, one of the most popular towns in the Ivory Coast. In this meeting and sharing place, we advocate for a development model that might also start in popular neighborhoods involving young people and the youngest between 8 and 15 years of age as philosophy. We have as a mission to reduce the disparities between the population by facilitating access to digital literacy in disadvantaged areas and encouraging innovation in extreme precariousness conditions. Our activities include the introduction to computer coding (21st century language), the recycling of electronic waste, the promotion of open source and free software and the development of technologically innovative business ideas.