Jugaad (Innovation) Lab for Disadvantaged Girls

The Jugaad Lab works with the aim to create a free, innovative, and creative space for young girls from low-income families. To present science and technology through the lens of everyday, in an informal way. Throughout last year, i.e. 2017, the Jugaad Lab organised numerous activities and sessions which focused on teaching all our participants the basics of engineering and electronics – e.g. building solar lamps and ovens, trolley for their bags, etc. The girls from Level 2, as a part of their early engineer’s coding classes, have learned how to build games using Scratch and in their electronics classes have learned how the different parallel and series connections help in electrifying our houses. Through such activities, we aim to provide them with a chance to experience the application of what they learned in their regular classes.

As a part of an activity this time, they unanimously decided to curate something which will help them carry everyday heavy items. They decided to build wooden trolleys to drag their heavy school bags, which are usually heavier than themselves. And, to walk a few miles every day with that load on their shoulders was something they wanted to get rid off. Thus, the Jugaad Lab team along with Utkarsh- a consultant from the maker's movement, designed and conducted a two-day workshop. Here the girls built  a wheeler to roll their load away, exactly to the height and width of their bags. A glimpse of which you can see below.

As a part of our annual exhibition, we showcased all the projects built by our participants during their engagement with Jugaad lab, in the span of last 9 months. Completing a full circle starting from when the team ran a mobilization drive, wherein, we convinced parents to send their children to the lab, and finally, ending with the showcase. The parents saw what their girls had learned and made with us, which was only possible due to the parent’s cooperation. Response from the community members was overwhelming this time, more than 100 people turned up to see what the girls had to present. This event has always been the source of confidence a boost for the girls as it excites them to present, what they have created in front of their friends and families.

December was the most intense. Our team’s focus was on the curriculum and wrapping up the year with revision classes for those who missed out because of some personal reason. Following this, we organized this cycles final event– the Felicitation ceremony. Participants of both the levels were excited and anxious to know who will make it to the next level of the learning journey. The team was happy to see the turnout of the parents for this particular event. Almost all the mothers of our participants attended the ceremony and even spoke a few words on how they felt about our space and the changes they have seen in their girls since they’ve been a part of this program. 

One of the mothers shares her experience –

“My child used to be very quiet and shy. But in the past few months there has been a visible change in her self-confidence. She speaks what she thinks and has even started traveling (to the Lab) on her own.”

Also, the participants took this opportunity to share their experience of being in The Jugaad Lab both to parents and the team. The general feeling among the participants has been positive. A few shared experiences were that their fearfulness of electricity and using heavy tools has been somewhat uplifted. The reason stated by all was that they got opportunity to physically use the tools. By using these they created articles for their daily use of which they are very proud of.

Out of the enrolled 23 regular participants in level one 13 girls graduated to Level two this year. This was decided on the basis of their attendance, i.e. if < 50% then pass. The current Level two batch will soon be completing their course and graduating to the next level.

This year the experience of the team and the participants was new and exciting. As we were working with a new set of participants, the issues and even the solutions were new. The team tried some new methods of conducting the classrooms keeping in mind different learning abilities of each individual which we acquired from a workshop team attended. And this definitely helped to build a stronger connection with each participant, with each passing day we understand their needs better. With your generous support Jugaad Lab has completed two years of its pilot project and truly, all of this was only possible when people like you commit and contribute to a cause like this!

Links:

• The Jugaad Innovation Lab for Girls