THE SOLIDARITY FABLAB « SAHELAB » INAUGURATED

THE SOLIDARITY FABLAB « SAHELAB » INAUGURATED

The digital fabrication laboratory was officially inaugurated on 4 July 2023 by the Managing Director of the ORANGE CAMEROUN Foundation, Patrice BENON. Housed within the Francophone Digital Campus of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) at The University of Ngaoundéré, the Sahel FabLab has state-of-the-art technological equipment, including 3D printers, a laser cutter, a digital milling machine, 15-needle digital embroidery machines and heat presses, to name but a few. According to the Director of the Orange Foundation, The University of Ngaoundéré is the first university institution to benefit from such equipment. « The University of Ngaoundéré is the first digital university in Cameroon. It submits many interesting projects. We are flattered by its projects. That is why we agree to support it », said a delighted Patrice BENON.

Indeed, this equipment makes it possible to develop the entrepreneurial spirit of students and young entrepreneurs seeking employment. On the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of the SOLIDARITY FABLAB « SAHELAB », the VRE-PDTIC, Prof. MAMOUDOU ABDOUL MOUMINI, representing Madam Rector of The University of Ngaoundéré, and the Director of the ORANGE CAMEROUN Foundation, Patrice BENON, signed a specific agreement on digitalisation.

A WINNING PARTNERSHIP

For the Deputy Regional Director of the AUF, Serge Cakpo, the synergy between the ORANGE Foundation and the AUF is a winning partnership. Indeed, it is thanks to the financial and technical support of the ORANGE Foundation that this project came into being: « Through the creation of this solidarity digital fabrication laboratory, the AUF and the ORANGE Foundation intend to provide a response not only to the challenges of the digital era for young people, but also to the challenges of culture, research, science and entrepreneurship », he said with satisfaction.

Thus, the AUF aims to be a revealer of the genius of scientific Francophonie throughout the world and in particular at The University of Ngaoundéré. In this dynamic, the AUF, through its « Entreprendre » programme, worked with the State of Cameroon to establish the national Student Entrepreneur status launched in February 2023. Indeed, this status allows students to benefit from all the necessary support and arrangements in order to implement their business ideas while properly pursuing their studies. Hence the concept « One foot at school, one foot in business ». It should be noted that more than 700,000 euros have been mobilised for the benefit of the university community of Ngaoundéré in several projects, namely digital pedagogy, distance learning, research, etc.