Foldscope, a Mini Microscope That Indeed Will Blow Your Mind

“Foldscope Cambodia aims to empower socio-economically disadvantaged students by providing more accessibility to the microscopic world so that they realize and are aware of their potential to create sustainable impacts in the community.” 

Imagine, you’re a young student who lives in a rural area of a province. In a matter of time, you would want to drink water that is from different sources around your zone. However, the problem is that the cup of water you drank is filled and crowded with billions of hazardous monsters and bacteria you could not notice with your bare eyes. This eventually leads to sickness and other menacing problems. 

On the other hand, have you ever wondered what might the onion cells that your teacher was talking about in your biology class look like? Isn’t it monotonous to learn about many organisms and cells but you don’t have the opportunity to discover with a microscope? Thinking about this particular concept, it could lead thousands of students to be uninterested when it comes to learning about biology, or science as a whole. 

As a matter of fact, those cells in onions or cruel monsters in your cup of water can only be seen by an expensive microscope that many rural areas and schools could not afford to invest in for the students?

Foldscope 

Because of the problems as stated above, this was why Jim and Manu who are from Standford University have invented the most amazing tool you have ever seen. A mini microscope called Foldscope that’s almost 1,000 cheaper than an actual microscope. Within their astounding invention, this is the hope for millions of students out there who are underprivileged and disadvantaged for their learning opportunities. 

Foldscope is made entirely out of folded paper, is exceedingly affordable, portable, and durable. On the other hand, this Foldscope has the ability to see objects and almost the same as the big microscope that costs thousands of dollars.

During one of the workshops with students
One of the students who was exploring with Foldscope

Currently, I am a part of the Foldscope Cambodia that is working on implementing workshops and creating Foldscope videos in Khmer in order to introduce this astonishing tool to rural Cambodian students.  To achieve this great mission, our team has implemented a few workshops in Kampong Thom, Cambodia, in which we brought this efficacious device to enhance the quality of visual experience for student’s science learning and self-exploration. 

Our team gave two sets of Foldscope to the school.

During our successful workshops, we covered a lot of knowledge with scientific skills as well as soft skills in which we have improved their curiosity in science and gave them opportunities to let them discover the microscopic world they have always wondered about. 

I believe that Foldscope Cambodia is one of the best projects that made huge positive impacts on the students from my communities. I hope we would be able to support and assist more students during our future workshops.

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