Betim, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, will have a new mobile laboratory dedicated to science and technology. The new mobile unit of the Rota do Saber project was handed over to AVSI Brasil during celebrations for Fiat's 50 years in Brasil, held at the Stellantis plant in the city.
The vehicle will operate as a mobile maker lab, a space where children and young people learn through hands-on activities, designing and creating objects, prototypes and creative projects using simple materials and technological tools. It is a way to develop creativity, problem-solving skills, collaboration and confidence in their own ideas.
The mobile lab will make it possible to bring practical science and technology activities to a greater number of public schools within Betim's municipal education network.
The handover took place as part of a partnership between AVSI Brasil and Fiat, now part of the Stellantis group, which dates back to 2004. During the event, the Coral Árvore da Vida choir also performed. The choir was created within the Árvore da Vida programme, developed in the Jardim Teresópolis neighbourhood, which has reached around 28,000 people over the years.
A mobile laboratory for education in Betim schools
The new Rota do Saber unit will make it possible to reach schools that currently do not have dedicated maker spaces. The mobile lab will bring tools and learning activities directly to schools, expanding the educational opportunities already available in the municipality.
The project currently includes four maker spaces established by Stellantis in Betim (Minas Gerais), Porto Real (Rio de Janeiro) and Goiana (Pernambuco). Since last year, more than 400 students have taken part in the programme's educational activities.
The Rota do Saber project
Rota do Saber is a project for students attending public schools in Betim, offering maker labs and educational activities focused on STEM subjects. The initiative is implemented by AVSI Brasil with the support of Stellantis and aims to bring children and young people closer to science, technology and hands-on learning.
AVSI in Brasil
AVSI began working in Brazil in the 1980s through urban development projects in the most disadvantaged areas on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte. Over time, the organisation established AVSI Brasil, a Brazilian non-profit organisation that is now active in 11 states: Amazonas, Bahia, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio de Janeiro, Roraima, Santa Catarina and São Paulo, as well as in the Federal District.
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