Fostering Innovation and Collaboration: Hosting Fab Foundation Representatives for an Exchange with FabLab Nepal!
In August, we were delighted to host and welcome honorary guests from Fab Foundation, Sherry Lassiter, and Chelsea Lynn. Our story of seeding the idea of FabLab launch in Nepal dates back to the 2018 Kathmandu Mini Maker Faire (KMMF) where makers from innovation hubs as FabLab from around the globe convened. The conversation of the 2018 event translated with the arrival of the first ever ‘FabLab’ in Nepal in 2021 through the joint support, effort, and passion of many humanitarian organizations and people. And what not! Hosting leads from Fab Foundation for the very first time was an amazing opportunity for cross-continental exchange and keeping up with global innovations through FabLab!
On the first day, our technical lead: Pallab Shrestha shared a glimpse of technical evolution in Nepal with our guests: Ms. Sherry Lassiter and Miss Chelsea Lynn. We organized a users-stakeholder meeting on August 2nd, 2023 where some of our key makers including organizations, makers, students, entrepreneurs, and university professors, were invited to share the role of FabLab in their work and value in the innovation ecosystem of Nepal. Our key partner organizations: Karkhana Samuha, King’s college, Smart Cheli, Chyau Bio shared their perspective of how FabLab in Nepal has been a critical resource for enabling their ideas into tangible products and services.
At the end of the day, we visited the National Innovation Center where our team talked with them about our shared work of expertise.
With our representatives from Fab Foundation, we also organized a discussion meeting with the Curriculum Development Center, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, along with a partner organization: Wildlife Conservation Center , and Sherry and Chelsea, who brought the global perspective and approach to STEAM Education. In the meeting, we discussed the involvement of FabLab in the educational sector with the Ministry of Industry to further discuss industrial advancement in the context of Nepal.
To end the three-day visit, Impact Hub Kathmandu hosted stakeholder meetings for potential new private-public partnerships.
Pallab shared the activities that were successfully conducted by Fablab Nepal in collaboration with many national as well as international partners such as RAEngineering, Karkhana Nepal, King’s College, Chyau Bio Technologies, Field Ready, with the impactful stories.
Chelsea presented updates on innovations happening around Fablabs across the world. The idea of fab-in-a box and floating fablabs in the Amazon River were truly inspiring and creative! We are excited to also explore these ideas in Nepal so that the facilities of FabLab reach more people and are more accessible, easy, and cost-effective for people. We want to reach the marginalized, disadvantaged, and underprivileged groups and innovate the education system of Nepal.
Pradita Pradhan and Andrew Lamb officially announced the launch of the Fab Foundation Nepal as a local Nepali branch of the Fab Foundation who will explore bringing more resources like this across Nepal! Exciting! Stay tuned for the opening of Fab Foundation in Nepal!
