Chennai's new repair cafe initiative teaches children to fix, not discard

CHENNAI: Repair Cafes have gained popularity in various countries as free community spaces where people come together to repair items collaboratively. Participants can bring many items, including clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, etc, and utilise the provided tools and materials to make necessary repairs. Expert volunteers with repair skills are on hand to offer guidance and support. Recently, Chennai hosted two successful Repair Cafe workshops to teach children skills to fix toys, bikes, and electronics.

Meena, the driving force behind the Repair Cafe initiative in Chennai says, “The first Repair Cafe was established in Bengaluru a few years ago and gradually gained attention in other major Indian cities. However, Chennai had yet to experience anything like it. I came across Tinker Kinder, a programme focused on home maintenance for children, run by experienced householders. I enrolled my nine-year-old son in the online course, which lasted three hours over five Sundays. I found it incredibly engaging for kids and was inspired to introduce this concept to Chennai through in-person workshops.”

Excited to bring her idea to life, she reached out to Purna Sarkar, who founded Repair Cafe Bengaluru. Purna was fully supportive, and as a result, Chennai hosted its first Repair Cafe on June 30. The second workshop took place on October 20, coinciding with International Repair Day.

“For the first workshop, we set up three stations: electrical repairs, cloth mending, and bicycle repairs. Each station had three mentors to guide the children. I hosted the event at my home in Adambakkam, and about ten children participated. I shared the workshop details exclusively within our homeschooling community through WhatsApp groups,” she adds.

Meena received an enthusiastic response for the second workshop held recently, with nearly 20 participants, including children and adults. “After the first workshop, I received many requests to focus on electrical repairs. Participants brought items from home such as emergency lamps, water heaters, kettles, and LED lights. We had two mentors available at the venue,” she explains.

“Beyond acquiring new skills, which are essential in today’s world, these workshops help build patience and problem-solving abilities among children. They also come to understand the importance of sustainability, which encourages them to take better care of their belongings. Given the positive feedback from both parents and children, we’re planning to host these workshops every three months,” Meena shares with DT Next.

The tools were provided at the venue, so participants only needed to bring any spare items that required repair. With rising labour costs, even for small jobs, Ramesh Kumar, one of the participants, agrees that initiatives like this are more important than ever - he attended the second workshop with his family, including his wife, mother, and two children. “We enjoyed the workshop. My children learned something new, and it was an engaging experience. We brought an emergency lamp, and my son learned how to use a multimeter. He also picked up the basics of soldering,” says Ramesh.

Today, parents are exploring various ways to engage their children without relying on mobile phones. Initiatives like this not only capture children’s interest but also help them acquire valuable skills.