There are so very many things that people in richer nations take for granted in their daily lives that people in poorer parts of the world so desperately need. Clean water. Shoes. Kids playing without danger of disease. A machine that can produce many of the things that the poor of the world cannot easily acquire sounds like science fiction. 3D printers fulfill the remit of that machine. There are limitations on what they can produce, of course, but when compared with the base level of need in poorer parts of the world, what can be produced makes a world of difference. And now, as an intern, you can too…
Film students at the Human Needs Project have made a sobering and heart-felt video short that has won a Re:3D Gigabot large-format three dimensional printer for an African educational development program as part of the Re:3D Great Gigabot Give-away. The Tunapanda Institute works with local partners in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to deploy educational computer networks using a custom Linux-based operating system, Tunapanda Edubuntu. Tunapanda, a Swahili word meaning “we are planting” and “we are growing,” offers courses in subjects that quickly lead to a higher rate of income including computing, web design and electronics. The Institute is to start delivering subjects like robotics, 3D animation and 3D printing — the Gigabot 3D Printer will help them on the way. For a glimpse into the real good that 3D printing can do in the world, the video strikes right at the heart.
Tunapanda is now developing a curriculum for teaching 3D printing and is looking to recruit some 3D printing interns for between a month to a quarter of a year. This means you! This is an amazing opportunity to take your 3D printing know-how, your desktop 3D printing experience, your computer aided design skills, and make a heck of a difference with it.
You will be training young people while developing Creative Commons licensed content that can help spread the vital and life-changing knowledge even further at minimal cost. You will be creating content with bright, hard-working people who simply did not have the luxury of opportunity in the past and couldn’t afford to finish their high school education.
You will have what will doubtless prove to be a life-changing experience living in a totally different culture, taking your sense of adventure to work in a poor community with potentially huge rewards. The team behind Gigabot is supporting them, so Tunapanda say to not worry if you don’t feel that you are an expert, you will be by the time you leave!
If you feel you would like to apply, you can email your CV and a short cover letter or something resembling it, to [email protected]. If not you can still be of help by spreading the word about Tunapanda’s Digital Era Vocational Skills crowdfunding campaign here.
Re:3D, the creator of the awesome 60 x 60x 60cm Gigabot large-format 3D printer partnered with 3D Hubs, Instructables, YouNoodle, Start-Up Chile, and the STGO Makerspace to give away Gigabot’s to support visions for improving the world. You can check out more about the Great Gigabot Giveaway at the Re:3D website here.
