Ebtikar Technology Challenge

© 2022 EPFL

© 2022 EPFL

An innovation challenge designed to empower refugees in the Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan through the use of digital fabrication technology to solve different refugee-identified issues in the camp: water management, education, transportation, security measures, and energy/power. 

What is it?


The Ebtikar Tech Challenge is an innovation challenge that is centered on the use of digital fabrication technology in the Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan for the development of tech-based solutions to a selection of refugee-identified and documented problems in their living environment. It is the second of three phases of a three-year pilot project initiated by InZone with the final aim of developing innovative, needs-based courses to enrich learning pathways for refugees.

Refugees from Azraq will be partnered with students from Luminus Technical University College in Amman in Jordan, IOM FabLab at Gaziantep University in Turkey, and the FacLab at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, in order to work together, exchange knowledge, and ideate practical solutions to develop a prototype at the FabLab at the InZone learning Hub in Azraq.

We need you!

Mentors

  • Individuals who are interested in monitoring and guiding the progress of an individual team through providing mentorship, advice, and practical suggestions, such as needs-based support and counseling

  • Able to commit up to an average of 3-4 hours per week starting the week of August 15th Technical/Thematic Experts

  • Thematic experts in the fields of water management, electricity/power, security measures, transportation, and education, who are willing to provide expertise, mentorship, and technical advice, as well as to evaluate the work and progress of student groups

  • Able to commit up to two hours per week starting the week of September 5th

When

Phase II - Ideation and Prototyping: August 15th to October 3rd

Who

Phase II - Ideation and Prototyping: August 15th to October 3rd

Participants from Azraq; students from IOM FabLab, LTUC, the FacLab at UNIGE; and experts and mentors

What

Creation of solutions to problems identified in the Azraq refugee camp

How

Participate in weekly webinars, group work sessions, and feedback sessions

Objective

Prototyping of solutions in the FabLab in Azraq

Interested?

Please reach out to [email protected] and [email protected] to register as a mentor or expert. We will get in touch with you to give you more details on the challenge and associated responsibilities.

References

Douglas Brenton Anderson

Project Co-Facilitator Intern

InZone - University of Geneva 

[email protected]