Inside Tanga’s FabLab: Where youth turn ideas into innovations

At Tanga Technical Secondary School, a group of students huddle around a 3D printer, watching as a small plastic gear slowly takes shape. Among them is 17-year-old Gift Grayson, who says this is where she first understood what engineering really means.

“In class, we learn the theory,” she says. “But here, we actually build. When you see something you made working, it changes how you think.”

Gift is one of many young people benefiting from the Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab), a learning space managed by the Tanzania Open Innovation Organization (TOIO) under the TangaYetu program.

Where technology meets opportunity

Inside the FabLab, the sound of machines replaces classroom silence. Students design, code, and operate 3D printers, CNC routers, and laser cutters, transforming their classroom lessons into prototypes that can be used in real life.

“Our goal is not just to train youth in machines, but to build problem-solvers,” says Sahil Abdulahman Ismail, Embedded Systems and AI Engineer at TOIO. “We show them that with the right skills, they can design solutions that fit their own communities.”

The FabLab has already trained hundreds of young people, including students from nearby schools and VETA centres. Thirteen trainees have secured internships and short-term jobs in local industries, a sign that the skills they gain are translating into real opportunities.

“When you see a student who once feared touching a computer now designing parts on a CNC machine, that’s transformation,” Sahil adds.

A different way of learning

The Lab has turned science into something students can touch and test. Instead of learning formulas from a board, they create working models from solar-powered incubators for poultry farmers to small robotic arms.

Teachers say the change in confidence and curiosity is visible. “They think like engineers now,” says one instructor. “They don’t wait for answers they test, break, and rebuild. That’s how innovation starts.”

Girls at the workbench

The Lab is also quietly rewriting who belongs in technical spaces. Zuwena Ahmad Juma, remembers being one of the few girls on her first day.

“At first, I was nervous. Most of the others were boys,” she says. “But once I started using the CNC router, I realized anyone can do this if they’re willing to learn.”

Today, Zuwena designs decorative items, clocks, and signboards. Her confidence has inspired other young women to join. “We are proving that girls can lead in technology too,” she says.

Small innovations, big lessons

The ideas born in this small workshop are both creative and practical. Some groups are building low-cost incubators that help poultry farmers hatch eggs locally.

Others are developing Black Soldier Fly farming systems that turn organic waste into animal feed and fertilizer a sustainable innovation that benefits the environment and the economy.

“We encourage them to start with real problems, something that matters to people around them,” Sahil explains. “That’s how innovation becomes meaningful.”

During a recent tour of youth initiatives, Tanga District Commissioner Dadi Kolimba stopped by the FabLab and met students from Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST) who were completing their fieldwork there.

He commended the program for connecting education with innovation and praised the collaboration between local schools and higher-learning institutions as “a reflection of the city’s growing innovation culture.”

“What I’ve seen here is more than training,” Kolimba said after the visit. “It’s an example of how local schools and young innovators can work together to create solutions for our own city.”

From automotive mechanics to tech innovation: The story of Mwinyi Abdi

Mwinyi Abdi, a 23-year-old from Makoko’s 11th Street in Tanga, envisions transforming his hometown into a “Fab City” a hub for fabrication and technological innovation in Tanzania.

Although he began his journey studying Motor Vehicle Mechanics, Mwinyi’s ambitions shifted after joining the TangaYetu program, where he was introduced to programming, coding, and digital fabrication.

Under the mentorship of Shaukatali from TOIO, he gained new technical skills that have since shaped his career and dreams.

Mwinyi’s involvement with TOIO, has allowed him to work on several impactful projects blending creativity and technology. Notably, he contributed to building educational tools for the STEM Park in Dodoma, including games like Bim Balance and Throw Balls, which promote physical coordination in children.

“One of the projects I’m proud of is the innovations we worked on for the STEM Park in Dodoma. STEM Parks are science learning centers for children, designed to provide various educational opportunities.

Among the projects we created are the Bim Balance and Throw Balls, designed to help children develop coordination and physical fitness,” says Mwinyi.

His technical work extends beyond education. Mwinyi has participated in assembling electric Bajaj vehicles, integrating energy-efficient charging systems.

He’s also ventured into computer-aided furniture design, where digital tools are used to create innovative pieces. These diverse projects have not only broadened his expertise but also reinforced his commitment to staying in Tanga and fostering local innovation.

Driven by a deep belief in technology as a catalyst for progress, Mwinyi advocates for stronger technical education and skills development in institutions like VETA Tanga. He sees the rapid growth of technology as an opportunity for his region to lead in national development.

For first-time visitors to Tanga, Mwinyi proudly recommends Robotech Labs a symbol of the city’s emerging innovation scene and his personal journey from mechanic to tech pioneer.

Preparing Tanga for a digital future

The FabLab represents more than a training project, it’s a shift in mindset. Its part of TangaYetu’s Technology and Innovation focus area under Phase II, designed to give youth hands-on experience in emerging fields while encouraging them to start local ventures.

Sahil says the Lab’s long-term goal is to expand beyond the school. “We want to link this space with industries, universities, and start-ups,” he says. “If every city had a FabLab, we’d have thousands of young people turning their ideas into businesses.”

Back in the workshop, the 3D printer finishes its task. Gift picks up the newly printed gear, holding it carefully between her fingers. It’s a simple piece of plastic but for her, it represents something much bigger.

“When you can make something with your own hands,” she says, smiling, “you stop waiting for someone else to bring change. You start doing it yourself.” And that, perhaps, is the quiet revolution happening inside Tanga’s FabLab, one project, one student, one idea at a time.

The TangaYetu program is funded by Fondation Botnar and managed by INNOVEX Development Consulting Limited in collaboration with Tanga City Council, making Tanga a city where youth thrive.