TOM, Tikkun Olam Makers, will be held in The Columbus School on October 5-7 to solve a specific problem for 12 Colombians with an specific disability.

Bringing together biomedical engineering, graphic design and computer programming, this international project will plan and execute a design for each participant allowing them to overcome one aspect of their disability.

”We’ve been organizing it for 11 months. It’s something huge and we need it to be perfect,”  Hector Londoño, Columbus School Technology Coach and Lead Organizer of TOM, said.

In order to host the event, TCS had to find sponsorships and funds which will allow them to make the event successful.

“This is a very expensive project from 100-120 million COP. The EIA and the Comite de Rehabilitacion are providing most of the costs as well as the staff working during the event,” Londoño said.

Approximately 180 guests from Comite de Rehabilitacion, Universidad EIA and the person with disability with their families will attend to the event.

“The foundation is in charge of the housing. We will make sure that the 180 people who are here have no concern other than to tend their disability,” Mary Luz Meza, TCS Foundation Manager, said.

Leading up to the event, Pre-TOM was done on Sept.1 to start working and developing the ideas for the Need Knowers. This allowed the Makers to start planning their design and to meet the person they are helping.

“We are already meeting with the group and the Need Knower. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday to continue the execution of the model,” Julian Zuñiga, TCS Technology Teacher and TOM Group Leader, said.

Besides all the guests, about 60 students from Middle and High school volunteered to help in the organizing and logistical aspects of TOM. They will work for 3 days setting the workplace and guiding the guests around.

“You really have to be todoterreno as a volunteer, we are going to do pretty much everything around,” Meza said.

The project was suggested by Hector Londoño, who through a scholarship in Israel unexpectedly found the event and decided to bring it to Colombia, with The Columbus School as a host.

According to Londono, Colombia’s TOM event “has to be better, because when we talk with the people in TOM, we are doing this to be better than the previovous ones,” held in Israel and other countries.

With all these previous preparations, the upcoming TOM project is expected to be a success and to fulfill its goal of improving 12 lifes.

”This school is truly a very beautiful thing. Everyone should really be proud of the school you are in.” Meza said.