Expanding robotics access in Haiti through community maker labs

Wilhem Hector and Gil Sander Joseph grew up in Haiti as close friends with an unusual hunger for learning. As teenagers, they taught themselves English and science with whatever resources they could find, turning curiosity into discipline, and discipline into opportunity.

In 2019, both earned highly competitive national scholarships that took them abroad: Wilhem pursued engineering in Norway and has since continued advanced mechanical engineering work in the US; Gil studied sociology in Germany and later in the US, alongside leadership roles focused on public service. Even as their paths opened up internationally, they stayed committed to building opportunity back home.

In 2020, they co-founded the Hector Foundation to expand access to rigorous STEM learning in Haiti. What began as a virtual summer course has grown into a locally rooted training pipeline: DRILL, an introductory robotics programme, and Manus 1, Haiti’s first open-access engineering makerspace—giving young people a place to learn by building, not just by memorising.

GEAR Lab is the Foundation’s advanced level: a structured, high-intensity programme that turns early robotics exposure into genuine engineering skill. Rather than a one-off camp, GEAR Lab is designed as a repeatable model delivered through multiple cohorts each year, so more students can access advanced training, and returning learners can deepen their skills over time.

Why This Matters

Port-au-Prince has faced prolonged instability and insecurity, with education frequently disrupted. Even when schools are open, hands-on STEM learning is rare. In this context, a functioning makerspace and a consistent training pathway are not “extras”—they are a practical way to keep learning alive, build peer community, and help students develop skills that translate into real academic and career options.

The Hector Foundation is building something long-term and Haitian-led: a community-owned space, trained mentors, and a clear pathway from curiosity to competence. GEAR Lab is a crucial piece because it offers continuity for DRILL graduates and creates an on-ramp to advanced STEM that students can’t easily find elsewhere.

What the Project Will Change

The current phase of GEAR Lab expands it into a year-round programme serving roughly 80–120 students across multiple cohorts. Each cohort runs over several weekends (roughly 40–50 hours of instruction), combining theory, simulation, coding, prototyping, and hands-on build sessions. Students work in teams and culminate the programme by building and demonstrating real robotics systems (for example, stabilisation robots), reinforcing both technical ability and collaboration.

Importantly, this phase also removes practical barriers that often prevent talented students from fully participating. The programme includes wraparound support, such as subsidised meals during sessions, loaner laptops for students without devices, and portable internet access when connectivity fails, so that learning is determined by effort and potential, not resources.

The impact extends beyond any single cohort. As more students graduate from advanced training, Haiti gains a growing community of young engineers-in-training. These students can mentor peers, contribute to the makerspace ecosystem, and pursue higher education and technical careers with stronger preparation and confidence.

In short: this project is about building a durable pipeline for advanced engineering education in Haiti, one that can scale cohort by cohort, year after year.