The Challenge and Triumph of Setting Up STEM Labs Across India

In Respire Experiential Learning, we established STEM Labs to promote practical learning. In the year 2023, we have established around 400 labs across India, Starting from Jammu-Kashmir to Kanyakumari, we provided hands-on learning to students. Mural Paintings, creative wallpapers, demo kits, DIY activities, Furniture, and many other things are involved in the STEM Lab. Establishing one lab is an exciting process. The challenges during the lab-making process will be the topic of discussion.

Poor Infra of Roads

Kishtwar, Jammu-Kashmir, is the place where we face significant challenges. We made 5 labs over there. Reaching to the village itself is challenging. There were many work-in-process roads, in every 5-6 km, to Dool(A town in Kishtwar). Because of poor roads, many of Stem Lab's materials broke before reaching the school. In Dachhan(A town in Kishtwar), we used Khachchar to get the materials for the school. Getting to the school requires a two-hour hike from the base camp to the school through a one-way trail. Transporting lab equipment from the warehouse(in the Dachchan, we have to set up one base camp) to the school involves considerable human resources, animal power, and time. It took us 2 days to shift material from the base camp to the school.  

Surprising weather conditions

Unexpected and heavy rainfall has been affecting Kistwar, Dool, Dachchan, and other nearby locations where the schools are located. After the rain, closed and slippery trails making difficult for the team to complete the work. Due to this, our schedule had to be extended by a few days to accommodate the weather conditions and ensure everyone's safety. 

Availability of network

In the southern area, the connectivity issue in telecommunication is more often usual. Schools are located in remote areas with no network available, making communication difficult with teams or other parties. Due to the dark forest, Our team faces difficulty finding a network to communicate from the schools to the warehouse. The team had to walk for hours to reach where we could find the mobile network to communicate.  

No Availability of Electricity

We faced this challenge in both the northern and southern regions. In STEM Labs, Mural painting, dispatching, and setting up materials require electricity. It took us 4-5 days to complete the mural painting and 7 days to dispatch and set up the materials.  

Despite the problems we faced, our team is ready to go the extra mile to ensure we complete our tasks efficiently and on time. Studying with high-tech equipment should not be a luxury for students. When we are done with transforming the lab, the smiles on students' faces after they see their class turn around are worth all the pain and effort. We are proud to say that, our work provides quality STEM education to all children, regardless of their background or circumstances.