the kits
Pipas Labs Kits are classes in a box that provide the tools, materials and lessons for participants in marginalized communities to create with technology while gaining crucial skills and knowledge.
Manual
The kit manual has complete instructions with related lessons for each step.
Tools & materials
The kits come complete with all the tools and materials needed to complete the activity.
Platform
Our custom board supports the integration with physical materials and electronics..
There are currently 4 Pipas Labs kits of which we've distributed more than 3000 in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro since 2020.
Faces in the Sky
Transform a basic white kite into an illuminated self-portrait that reflects the identity and strengthens the creator's voice.
Creative Expressions
Create a mask illuminated by a circuit of LEDs and battery that explores the creator's different personal identities.
Pipas ID
Make a custom shirt with a unique badge illuminated by an LED circuit that reflects the creator's personality and taste.
Guitarra Mágica
Create a personalized box guitar that plays any sound imaginable by mixing art, electronics and programming.
ages
10+
Our target audience is 10 years of age and older. However, it functions well with teenagers, young people, adults and even the elderly.
locations
RJ & SP+
Historically the project has been active in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil. However, we are actively seeking to expand to the US, beginning with New York.
demographic
Margins
The project serves urban peripheries with a specific focus on the inclusion of Black, marginalized, LGBTQ+ populations and gender diversity.
Scarce resources
We deliver tools and materials that are rarely available to participants at home or school, exposing then to new techniques and possibilities.
Heights of creativity
Our participants create with incredible imagination and creative expression, making their voices heard in new ways.
New collaborations
Peers, families and friends worked together in new ways to understand the activity, learn the techniques, and produce beautiful results.
Reflection of Identity
The Faces in the Sky kites reflect the identities of their creators and tell an different kind of story of the Brazilian urban periphery.