Support Young Aspiring Mexican Tech Inventors

MakersLab  encourages students to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) through a series of theoretical and practical activities through which they obtain a comprehensive understanding on the fundamentals of design, electronics and digital manufacturing.

Thanks to your support, we are able to implement STEAM-based educational programs on our RIA centers with a considerable impact on marginal communities. This allows students to prepare themselves to face the challenges of the modern tech industries and improve their chances of getting a better quality of life by working in this emerging sector. One story that we want you to know is Julio's. Julio began as a student in the MakersLab, continue his way as a volunteer and currently  teaches some courses in this space. But who could be better than him to tell you about how the MakersLab has changed his life:

"I have always thought that successful people are those who go out of their comfort zone to search new things. This way of thinking, allowed me to find the RIA centers. I’m a student of Mechatronics Engineering in the Mexican National Technology Institute; on my seventh semester and in the search of an institution where I could make my social service to finish my career.

Thanks to a classmate, I learned about the RIA centers and the MakersLab which has courses and tools that enable me to grow both academically and personally with the objective of participating in tech industries. Inside this space I was able to enroll in courses on design and manufacturing using several tools such as laser cutting machines, 3D printers and CNC routers. The use of these tools allowed me to get a better understanding of the Makers philosophy.  My willingness to learn and practice what I have learned in my career encouraged me to finish the whole route for digital manufacturing and eventually do my social service in the MakersLab.

Getting to know more about these machines allowed me to design and manufacture the materials I needed on my MakersLab courses, such as the Maker Camp kit and other educational materials.

When I finished my social service I decided to go further and do my professional residence through a project aimed to manufacture and design a 3D printer. All of this, while teaching courses on 3D printing, computerized engraving through CNC and laser cutting.

Currently I’m working on obtaining my degree and looking for a place to work in which I can exercise all the knowledge I got both on the university and in the MakersLab. Without a doubt, this training will provide me with access to job opportunities and a better quality of life. Thank you Nokia, Global Giving and Fundacion Proacceso for trusting me and supporting my professional development."

Evelyn is seven years old and lives in the State of Mexico’s municipality of Nezahualcoyotl. During last summer, she enrolled in the Maker’s Camp course at the RIA center and she loved it so much that now she considers herself part of the Maker Culture, with big and innovative ideas to develop.

Before this experience, Evelyn had only taken courses in basic programming and had very little experience with the use of computers. Even though she was the youngest girl in the Makers Camp course, she wasn’t afraid to fully exploit all the knowledge she could get from it. As a result, Evelyn learned how electricity works, what is conductivity and how electronic circuits work. Also, she learned how to use a welding machine to create fun, innovative and creative projects.

What Evelyn liked the most about Makers Camp was that she created a new project from scratch, which helped her boost her creativity. Furthermore, she learned the basic principles of stop-motion animation, how to create circuits on paper and how to interact with a computer through a Makey Makey device.

During the camp, Evelyn met Andrea, another 11-year old girl. Together, they learned to do activities like welding and circuit building which they thought were restricted to adult boys only. However, thanks to this experience they now know that girls can also learn about programming apps, an activity on which they worked for their final project which was a piano that used bananas as keys.

Evelyn’s enthusiasm encouraged her classmates because of her willingness to finish every activity. Given this attitude, the instructor made her a role model for the rest of the class; “If little Evelyn can do it, so do you big guys!”

What do you think other girls like Evelyn can do with tools like this?