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The Fab Lab in Jalalabad needs your help!

As we go in to our THIRD year, we’re moving out of the “incubation” phase and focusing on transitioning to self-reliance.    We do this by encouraging everyone to think of ways they can add value to things and charge a fair price for their contribution.  We’ve also moved to a smaller but 100% Afghan community site.

The lab is currently successfully teaching basic computers, networking, and instructing on the use of the large wood router for small simple projects like stools.   Our most wildly successful project is the FabFi, which is now 100% Afghans who are ready to experiment with some service and training models.  It’s time to seed these amateur entrepreneurs.

In the next year we’ll be feeling out different business schemes and service models and loaning out equipment such as cameras and laptops for the teams to use to show us what they’re doing.  Most of your donations will be used towards matched microloans which only need to be paid back if the idea is successful.

The lab coordinators are doing a fantastic job at keeping the doors open and the lab running smoothly - even with hundreds of students coming 6 days a week!  Our focus with them in the coming year will be accounting and reporting.

Please note: we’re committed to spending every one of your dollars directly on Afghans and their projects.  The Fab Folk pay for everything else out of pocket, including shipping and bank fees and generally anything we’re involved in.  When you make your donation on the Pay Pal site, please note if you’re willing to put your generous donation toward the general Afghanistan Fab Lab fund.