Secular Students of São Tomé and Príncipe

Members: Alice Joshua, Manuel Costa, Sara Neves, Edmilson Dias, Catia Ramos

Tel: +239 994 0987

Email: alicejosh1994@gmail.com

Phone: +239 990 4866

What does humanism mean to you?

To us, humanism means taking direct, practical responsibility for improving human lives through reason, compassion, and practical action. In São Tomé and Príncipe, where young people face high unemployment and limited vocational training, humanism is a call to empower individuals with tangible skills. It inspires us to foster self-reliance, promote critical problem-solving, and build a supportive community where secular and open-minded youth can gain economic independence, support one another, and thrive together through rational, human-centered cooperation.

Project Description

This initiative will establish a community-centered phone repair shop and technical training hub run by secular youth on our university campus and nearby local community space. Mobile devices are essential for communication and education in São Tomé, but replacement parts and local repair services are often prohibitively expensive or unreliable. By equipping our members with precision repair toolkits, diagnostic instruments, and essential replacement components (such as screens, charging ports, and batteries), this shop will offer low-cost repair services to students and residents. Concurrently, we will host peer-to-peer technical skill workshops where secular youth and community members learn micro-soldering, hardware diagnostics, and electronic repair basics. This project serves a dual purpose: it delivers an essential, affordable local service while directly equipping young humanists with practical, income-generating technical skills that foster long-term self-sufficiency.

Budget

Professional Electronics & Phone Repair Toolkit Set x 2 ($120)

DC Bench Power Supply & Precision Soldering Station ($110)

Starter Inventory of Common Replacement Parts (Batteries, Screen Adhesives, Charging Ports) ($120)

Digital Microscope & PCB Holder for Precision Micro-Soldering ($60)

Heavy-Duty Lockable Storage Cabinet for Tools & Customer Devices ($40)

Total Project Cost: $450

Expected Income from Project, with Timeline

To make repairs universally accessible while maintaining a sustainable operation, we will charge a small labor fee of 50 Dobras (approximately $2.20 USD) per basic repair service (excluding raw component costs, which are covered at cost by the client). We anticipate completing an average of 3 phone repairs per day.

Daily Projected Income: $6.60 USD

Weekly Projected Income: $33.00 USD (operating Monday through Friday

Monthly Projected Income: $132.00 USD

Timeline:

Months 1–2 (Post-Funding): Procure repair toolkits, diagnostic hardware, and starter inventory; set up the workbench; and complete initial peer training sessions.

Month 3: Open full-time repair operations and achieve a steady rate of 3 repairs per day, reaching the target monthly income of $132.00 USD. 100% of these proceeds will be reinvested to replenish spare parts inventory, upgrade tools, and fund monthly youth skill workshops and humanist group activities.

Benefits to Community

This repair hub directly supports the local community by providing affordable, trustworthy phone repairs, extending the lifecycle of essential devices for students who cannot afford new phones. Crucially, it empowers young humanists and open-minded youth by giving them hands-on, market-relevant vocational skills that build confidence and economic resilience. Furthermore, the shop serves as a welcoming, inclusive space where young people collaborate, solve complex technical problems through critical thinking, and build a positive, rational community grounded in mutual aid and practical solidarity.