DIY Labs: Bringing Hands-On STEM Learning to Every Community
DIY Labs is the Tokarev Foundation's flagship STEM education initiative, designed to transform underutilised school spaces into modern, hands-on learning environments where students can explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through practical experience.
Delivered in partnership with savED, the initiative combines educational innovation with community-led recovery, creating STEM spaces that respond to local needs while strengthening schools as centres of learning, creativity, and resilience. More than physical infrastructure, DIY STEM Labs provide a scalable model for modern STEM education that can be replicated by communities across Ukraine.
How It Works
DIY Labs combines infrastructure, educational content, and community engagement to create sustainable STEM learning environments.
The initiative provides:
- Modern, hands-on STEM laboratories designed for practical experimentation and collaborative learning
- Learning programmes and activities that encourage inquiry, creativity, and problem-solving
- Support for teachers to integrate hands-on STEM approaches into everyday classroom practice
- Community-driven design and implementation that reflects local educational needs
- Practical guidance and resources that enable schools and communities to replicate the model
By combining engaging learning environments with practical teaching approaches, DIY Labs help students develop the curiosity, confidence, and skills needed to succeed in STEM while supporting teachers in delivering more interactive and relevant education.
Building Community-Led STEM Education
DIY STEM Labs is built on the belief that educational recovery is strongest when communities help shape it. Rather than delivering a one-size-fits-all solution, the initiative works alongside schools, educators, local authorities, and community partners to co-create STEM spaces that reflect local priorities and can be sustained over time.
Lessons from the pilot implementation have informed the development of the DIY Lab Handbook—a practical guide that enables schools and communities to replicate the model in different contexts. By combining proven educational approaches with adaptable infrastructure, the initiative helps communities create inspiring learning environments while contributing to long-term improvements in STEM education across Ukraine.
By the Numbers
Why It Matters
Access to high-quality STEM education should not depend on where a child lives or whether their community has been affected by war. DIY Labs help create engaging learning environments where students can develop critical thinking, creativity, and practical skills that prepare them for the future.
By empowering schools and communities to build, own, and replicate modern STEM learning spaces, the initiative contributes to Ukraine's long-term educational recovery while strengthening local resilience. Through community ownership, hands-on learning, and scalable innovation, DIY Labs are helping shape a generation of learners equipped to solve tomorrow's challenges.
