International Repair Day: Background and CC4D’s Role in Uganda

International Repair Day was launched in 2017 to highlight the value and importance of repair, particularly through community-driven initiatives like Repair Cafés and Restart Parties. It is celebrated annually on the third Saturday of October.

The inaugural celebration took place on October 21, 2017, followed by the second event on October 20, 2018. The 2018 edition emphasized the Right to Repair a movement advocating for access to repair information, tools, and the design of products that are more durable, energy-efficient, and easier to fix.

The event is coordinated by the Open Repair Alliance, a global coalition of organizations working to extend the lifespan of electronic products and make repair more accessible. Member organizations include the Repair Café Foundation (Netherlands), The Restart Project (UK), iFixit, the Anstiftung Foundation (Germany), and Fixit Clinic (USA).

CC4D: Pioneering International Repair Day in Uganda

In Uganda, Community Creativity for Development (CC4D) took the lead in promoting International Repair Day, becoming the first organization to do so in both 2021 and 2022.

The first event was hosted on October 15, 2021, at the CC4D Bright Makerspace in Eden II Village, located in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement. It was a small-scale but impactful gathering of 30 participants, including refugees, host community members, CC4D volunteers, and local repairers. Community members were encouraged to bring their broken electronic devices for repair.

The second celebration took place on October 26, 2022, again at the Bright Makerspace. This time, the event was more public and widely attended. In the lead-up, a pre-event training session was held, focusing on repair, reuse, and upcycling of electronic waste. 18 participants (9 men and 9 women) took part in this hands-on capacity-building workshop.

The main event brought together over 50 participants, including members from both refugee and host communities, Refugee Welfare Councils (RWCs), Local Council (LC) leaders, and representatives from five humanitarian organizations and UN agencies working in the area.

Purpose of the IRD Public Event

The public event aimed not only to introduce and promote International Repair Day within the community but also to raise awareness about the broader importance of repair and reuse. Through this initiative, CC4D sought to foster a culture that values maintenance and sustainability while building local repair capacity and community resilience.