<div>IROKO FabLab is a community-based makerspace in Cotonou, Benin, where people learn, make, repair, and build together.
</div>
<div>It is a place powered by tools, machines and — above all — community.
</div>
<div><br />
</div><iframe media_type="0" media_id="W8ypLs0pMxA" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/W8ypLs0pMxA/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On December 6th, 2025, the entire IROKO FabLab space and its equipment were destroyed in a fire. No one was injured — but every machine, tool, and workstation we had patiently acquired and built over 7 years disappeared overnight.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img class="text-editor_textEditorImage__43_GE" alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/99736925_1770643889874344_r." width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If you’ve ever gravitated around such a space, you know exactly what that means. We didn’t just lose equipment: we lost valuable time, shared memories, calibration and learning curves, and we lost the collective energy invested in building a functional lab over time.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>What remained intact is our maker spirit.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>And right now, what matters most is to not simply replace what was lost, but gather enough momentum to move past the critical phase — beyond that moment when the community is still alive, but no longer able to operate.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Although the fire was heartbreaking and left us shaken, we were overwhelmed by messages of support and encouragement from all over the world, urging us to continue.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We rebuild with intention. We are not seeking to copy the past.
</div>
<div>While this event represents a major loss, it also marks a turning point. It happened as IROKO FabLab was already engaged in a transformation process aimed at strengthening its capacities and impact. As part of that process, we were already committed to finding a new space to host a stronger, more resilient, and more connected creative hub to support training, prototyping, and local innovation for young people, artisans, and creative entrepreneurs across West Africa.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We are pleased to share that a promising grant opportunity is already taking shape, thanks to which we have now found the perfect space.
</div>
<div>In other words, we now have the place, and the community remains active.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Now, we need your help to take on the enormous task of fitting out this new space: replacing lost tools &amp; equipment, rebuilding infrastructure and managing related logistics.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>What has been destroyed can be rebuilt.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>And rebuilding can inspire a new beginning.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With your support, IROKO FabLab can once again become an inclusive, vibrant, and committed creative hub, delivering concrete solutions for local communities.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If you are part of a business that can support us through equipment donations, or a maker interested in joining IROKO FabLab and helping us rebuild, please reach out via our Equipment Donation Hub on <a href="https://fuschia-feeling-e7b.notion.site/Rebuilding-IROKO-FabLab-Equipment-Donation-Hub-2f88abc468b7812fbf84d4150d3ea914" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Notion</a> .
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>FR
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>IROKO FabLab est un makerspace communautaire basé à Cotonou, au Bénin, où l’on apprend, fabrique, répare et construit ensemble.
</div>
<div>C’est un lieu enrichi par des outils et des machines — mais surtout par une communauté.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Le 6 décembre 2025, un incendie a entièrement détruit l’espace d’IROKO FabLab ainsi que l’ensemble de ses équipements. Personne n’a été blessé — mais chaque machine, chaque outil et chaque poste de travail que nous avions patiemment acquis et construit au fil de 7 années a disparu en une nuit.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img class="text-editor_textEditorImage__43_GE" alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/99736925_17706439531112_r." width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Si vous avez déjà fréquenté ou fait vivre un tel lieu, vous savez ce que cela signifie.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nous n’avons pas seulement perdu du matériel : nous avons perdu du temps précieux, des souvenirs partagés, des réglages, des courbes d’apprentissage, et toute l’énergie collective investie, année après année, pour bâtir un FabLab fonctionnel.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Ce qui est resté intact, c’est l’esprit maker qui nous anime.
</div>
<div>Aujourd’hui, l’enjeu n’est pas simplement de remplacer ce qui a été perdu, mais de prendre suffisamment d’élan pour dépasser la phase critique — ce moment où la communauté est toujours là, bien vivante, mais ne peut plus créer.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Si l’incendie a été un choc profond, il a aussi suscité une vague de messages de soutien et d’encouragement venus du monde entier, nous invitant à continuer.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nous reconstruisons avec intention. Il ne s’agit pas de reproduire le passé à l’identique.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Cet événement, bien qu’il représente une perte majeure, marque aussi un tournant décisif. Il est survenu alors que IROKO FabLab était déjà engagé dans un processus de transformation visant à renforcer ses capacités et son impact. Dans cette dynamique, nous avions entrepris de rechercher un nouvel espace pour accueillir un hub créatif plus solide, plus résilient et mieux connecté, afin de soutenir la formation, le prototypage et l’innovation locale au service des jeunes, des artisans et des entrepreneurs créatifs en Afrique de l’Ouest.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Nous sommes heureux de partager qu’une opportunité de subvention prometteuse est aujourd’hui en cours de concrétisation, grâce à laquelle nous avons pu identifier un espace adapté pour cette nouvelle étape.
</div>
<div>En d’autres termes, nous avons un lieu, et une communauté toujours active.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Ce dont nous avons maintenant besoin, c’est de votre soutien pour relever le défi considérable que représente l’aménagement de ce nouvel espace : remplacer les outils et équipements perdus, reconstruire les infrastructures et gérer les aspects logistiques associés.
</div>
<div>Ce qui a été détruit peut être reconstruit.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Et cette reconstruction peut devenir un nouveau chapitre.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Avec votre soutien, IROKO FabLab peut redevenir un hub créatif inclusif, vivant et engagé, au service de solutions concrètes pour les communautés locales.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Si vous représentez une entreprise susceptible de nous soutenir par des dons d’équipements, ou si vous êtes maker et souhaitez rejoindre IROKO FabLab pour contribuer à la reconstruction, nous vous invitons à nous contacter via notre Equipment Donation Hub sur Notion.
</div>

Chikerueze Ogbonda

Nicole Miltner

sofia bempeza

Anonymous

Andrea A

Riccardo Cappi

Philippe Destanque

Kèmi Fakambi

Eliane MBENDE

Freednel GBAGUIDI

Niek van Dijk

Susanne Rogenhofer

Michèle PECRIAUX

Arnaud Bridou

Allie Dukuze

Christina Leyerer

Help rebuild a community makerspace after a fire in Benin

Support urgent earthquake relief and past recovery in Venezuela.

Apoya la ayuda urgente tras el terremoto y los esfuerzos de recuperación en Venezuela.

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

Eligible for Profile Share Badge

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

Support Comments Allowlist

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

NPO recommendations prod

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

checkout headers audience

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

isEligibleForProfileBadge

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

categoryGroup

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.3.0 and above

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Just €854€ to go! Make an impact.

Help rebuild a community makerspace after a fire in Benin

Just €854 to go!
Make an impact.