I.O.Me.254 is an organization focused on using design and technology to preserve heritage and promote sustainability. They offer training and workshops that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques, empowering local communities to create innovative products from locally sourced materials. The organization operates in both Lamu and Mombasa, providing opportunities for makers to learn how to integrate new technologies with traditional practices in areas such as construction, fashion, and product design.

This collaborative space inspires and enables researchers, innovators, technology enthusiasts and entrepreneurs to create and quickly test new concepts, products and businesses by giving them more options through access to advanced technology, materials and production methodologies through shared knowledge and peer learning.

Project approach

I.O.Me is one of a few partners in Africa, bridging the gap between heritage preservation and modern technology. Their work in Lamu and Mombasa supports local communities by offering training that blends traditional craftsmanship with new fabrication methods. This intersection of old and new aligns with the platform’s mission of fostering innovation, creativity, and sustainable design practices within makerspaces, while also preserving cultural heritage.

About the collective

I.O.Me005 is an initiative of the Kenya Red Cross Society located in Lamu, Kenya and has been in operation since October 2020. Initial funding and support was provided by the Qatar Red Crescent Society.

The lab is also located next to the Lamu Rehabilitation Center – another initiative by the Kenya Red Cross Society, to offer support in the rehabilitation process of drug addicts. During their rehabilitation period, clients spend time at the I.O.Me lab to build new technical skills and practice those that they may already have. This keeps them productively engaged and ensures that at the end of their rehabilitation program they can be easily be integrated back to the society.