On April 19, as part of a joint initiative between Novateca and the Moldovan Competitiveness Project, the Ungheni Raion Library launched the first FabLab in Moldova, with support from USAID and the Swedish Embassy and in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Research.

The small-scale laboratory and workshop, equipped with an array of flexible computer-controlled tools and materials, allows users to explore the world of digital fabrication and manufacture products and prototypes for themselves and their businesses.

“We are happy to witness the continuous transformation of public libraries into multifunctional centers and launch the first FabLab here, where citizens already benefit from free access to Internet, information and modern library services,” highlighted Andrei Chistol, State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research.

“Helping the young generation to develop STEM and digital fabrication skills contributes to the development of the Moldovan economy, and thus the emergence of new jobs for Moldovan citizens,” pointed out Karen Hilliard, Head of the USAID Mission in Moldova.

By the end of April, two more FabLabs will be launched in Cahul and Drochia libraries, along with a larger lab in Chisinau at the Tekwill Center, connecting Moldova to a network of more than 1200 FabLabs around the world.