KATHMANDU, June 12: Karkhana Samuha and Doko Recyclers have jointly organized Sikaru (Learners) Saathi Bootcamp which is supported by the Lang Social Impact Fellowship at Swarthmore College. Sikaru Saathi bootcamp is a program that teaches students to repair and upcycle simple household electronics. The program aims to raise awareness about the problems of e-waste in urban households by building a culture of repair among these young students.

Through engaging in hands-on repair and creative problem solving, the program challenges the education system based on rote learning. Karkhana Samuha has also produced an open sourced digital toolkit that will enable students to continue learning about e-waste management and repair at their own pace.

Fourteen students from the school spent the last seven sessions learning how to repair as a means to tackle the world’s growing problem of electronic waste. At the bootcamp, they used multimeters; dismantled electronics to extract useful components; repaired household appliances like multiplug, water kettle, electric heater;and learned about how to responsibly manage e-waste. One student even brought a damaged hair straightener from home and repaired it.

Gyan Bhakta Maharjan, the school's principal, was amused by the confidence in the students when they showcased their projects and explained the impacts of e-waste. "This is the type of confidence that comes with knowledge," he reinstated the importance of hands-on experiences and skills.

Karkhana Samuha’s bootcamp advocates for a hands-on approach to learning. Through active participation, students were able to dive deep into problems, ask important questions, and seek innovative solutions related to e-waste. Our education systems need to incorporate such initiatives in schools if we want to cultivate genuine understanding, spark meaningful curiosity, and empower students with skills to become active contributors in addressing real-world problems.

 
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