At AfricaOSH 2018 earlier this year, our South Sudanese colleague Jaiksana presented the ASKotec kit as a set of tools in a dust proof case to not only be used by artisans in critical regions or refugee camps but also as a set for DIY science equipment and repair kit in the context of Open Science Hardware.
Providing Access to Skills and Knowledge in the form of a multi-functional Open Tech Emergency Case gives rural and urban innovators a new point of entrance for understanding the basics in a range of vocational skills from soldering, building simple devices to the handling of important yet often specialised tools that in these regions are normally hard to come by.
We just launched our crowdfunding campaign at betterplace.org/en/projects/63347-pioneering-open-tech-innovation-askotec-access-to-skills-knowledge-kit/
Pioneering Open Tech Innovation: #ASKotec Access to Skills & Knowledge Kit
Join us in getting the funds together to build 5 additional kits and support our trainers by
- sharing the campaign on Twitter and Facebook
- donating – any amount counts and brings us closer to our goal
- talking to your friends and family about it
- contacting us if you know of companies, individuals and other contacts in your network and neighbourhood who might be interested in partnering with us
More #ASKotec details
#ASKotec = Access to Skills and Knowledge: open tech emergency case.
#ASKotec on Github: github.com/opencultureagency/ASKotec
The kit is a rugged, dust-proof case with a range of quality basic and advanced tools, elements and materials for
- learning and practicing basic electronics, especially small-scale solar energy
- training supplies to develop and share knowledge
- reference guides and manuals to support local peer-to-peer skills development
With each kit it is possible to run hundreds of workshops in DIY electronics, solar power, up-cycling and basic computing – making it both an emergency field kit for remote regions, as well as a science and technology resource kit for schools where basic infrastructure are minimal or lacking.
Developed together with young South Sudanese open tech pioneers to best meet their needs, the #ASKotec was designed for people living in remote and low infrastructure regions, including refugee settlements, remote rural areas and community based educational institutions in post-conflict regions such as South Sudan or post-disaster regions like Nepal. The kit is designed to work as a mobile trainer’s set to tackle basic field challenges when it comes to Open Tech and Open Source Hardware innovation, education and repairing wherever needed.
Augmenting interests and the often less formal skills young people have picked up previously, strengthening these to become generators of knowledge for their peer communities, the kit triggers independence and empowerment for the people.
Do feel free to ask any questions and get in touch of you are interested in collaborating and further distributing, diversifying and advancing the #ASKotec kit.