“Making is caring.” – Elda Webb
I 
had an interesting chat with Elda to learn why and how she became involved in the Singapore Mini Maker Faire.
During the chat, she returned several times to the point that making should be a way to solve a problem, so that it is purposeful. She attributed her belief to the Mexico culture in which she was brought up in, where people are creative in coming up with solutions to problems.
To Elda, making is actually a way to care for others. I thought that is a nice perspective and it gives a different meaning to the act of making. Have you also made something because it is needed by somebody else? Are you also motivated in the same manner to make things? How can you make things to improve the lives of others? Elda made me think deeper into this.
Getting involved in Singapore Mini Maker Faire
Elda became involved in the Singapore Mini Maker Faire since its inauguration two years back. Searching online on 3D printing stuffs then, she found a link to our website. She signed up as a volunteer for two years and it is exciting that she will be conducting her first workshops on design thinking this year. Speaking with Elda, I learnt that she had her fair share of hesitation about the sharing, hence the delay in coming forth to conduct workshops for our event. This hesitation is definitely not an act of selfishness but a lack of confidence. But confidence can be built up with encouragement, and she felt that everybody need someone to assure them that they are doing well.
During our conversation, we chatted about how common this thinking is amongst some makers, and how she wanted to help people build confidence by introducing a set of design thinking steps which could serve as some form of guide. First, she wanted to break the barrier of the mind, and show that everybody have the potential to be a designer. This is something she would like to achieve with her workshops.
“Everybody need someone to assure them that they are doing well”. – Elda
The way forward
Elda is of view that the momentum for the Maker Movement in Singapore has been built up and should continue to roll, and it is still important to build greater awareness as there are still many people who are not familiar and receptive to the idea of making. On her own, she has plans to continue her workshops so that she can continue to inspire people to make and design solutions to problems. It is really cool to know she has such plans!
Interested to attend Elda’s Design Thinking workshops on 26 July, 1.00pm – 2.30pm or 27 July, 10am – 11.30am at the Senja-Cashew CC? Simply email [email protected] for registration details.
Mr Pedida shared that it was exciting and eye-opening for his team to meet other Makers showcasing their projects, thus allowing them to broaden their ideas in building new projects. It was also a fun experience for them to interact with other Makers and members of public, especially the challenges that they experienced from planning to construction to testing.
ITE College East Arduino Club President, Nurul Jannah Bte Mohamed will be leading her club members at their booth, together with Mr Pedida. He shared with us that Jannah is currently a 2 nd year Student of Nitec in Electronics specialized in Mobile Devices and she is actively involved in Arduino as her CCA. She also participated with her group at the “Assistive, Rehabilitative & Therapeutic Technology” competition jointly organised by the Singapore Therapeutic, Assistive and Rehabilitation Technologies Centre and the Centre for Enabled Learning in March this year, receiving a Merit Award for their project. Jannah will be showcasing her project which helps elders with disability to control their appliances without the need of touching any switches.
Pooja will run a workshop to create a cloth-covered portfolio for holding stationery, drawings, photographs and so forth, using luscious book cloth and beautiful Japanese Chiyogami papers.
Most of us spend a lot of time in front of the computer each day, and find little time for any other matters.
