1996: Final year thesis

The story of the mobile school began in 1996, when Arnoud Raskin started the last year of his studies to become an industrial designer. Graduating designers finish their studies by designing a practical dissertation project. The entire fifth academic year is devoted to the development of an industrial product.
Typical dissertation projects would be innovative versions of hand blenders, baby seats, furniture, etc. The main criterion for both concept and design is to be innovative and thus imply potential success in our consumer society.

Arnoud found it difficult to choose a suitable dissertation project. Each concept that had been examined as a potential project apparently aimed at a market-economy created need. Although a hand blender may be very innovative with a clever and unique concept and design, the main objective is still to create a product that can be easily sold. Magazines have been and still are packed with all kinds of hand blenders, in a wide range of concepts, from simple single-function devices to complete multifunctional kitchen appliances.
'What can I add to this array of consumer products?', Arnoud kept wondering. Gradually, he realised that he, in his role of industrial designer, should not focus on market-oriented design, but that he would rather try to respond to basic needs.

During this period Arnoud was confronted with the harsh reality of Colombian street children, through the media. In his quest for more information about these children, Arnoud suddenly saw a link between his interest in street kids and a dissertation project. Arnoud realised that street kids could be a target group for his project, since the product concept could respond to the children's basic needs. That is when he decided to develop a product for street children.
In order to determine a product concept, it is obviously important to know your target group and its main needs. Literature studies helped Arnoud to gain more insight into the street children's world. Who are they? Where do they come from? Why and how do they live in the streets? Those were the main questions that led to a comprehensive analysis of street kids. However, theory is only theory, and so Arnoud decided to head to Colombia in order to work with the children as a volunteer. He found himself in the role of street educator for the first time within the scope of his participative observational research. Alongside getting to know the children and their reality, he also examined the project-oriented approach toward prevention and rehabilitation. This is where Arnoud found the key to what would become his dissertation product: 'the mobile school'.
Meanwhile, some friends, who had also become fascinated by the street children, had established the non-profit organisation 'vzw Vrienden van Oscar': a small voluntary organisation that raised funds to support a number of street children projects. As a member of this organisation, Arnoud could count on their support to realise his mobile dream.


1997: Graduation and further research trip through South America

He graduated in June 1997 with his first conceptual prototype of the mobile school. However, his experiences in the streets of Colombia were still vivid in his mind. The previously anonymous street child now had a name and a face. The urge to return became difficult to resist. Consequently Arnoud voluntarily returned to Latin America and further developed the mobile school. He had two clear objectives. First of all he felt that, despite his studies as a product designer, he was more and more involved in the psycho-educational component of the mobile school. Furthermore his experience was restricted to some months of street work in the city of Cartagena in Colombia. Since the concept of the mobile school was based on an industrial design, this concept would be designed for mass-production. Mass production means that the product should be applicable in many locations.
Arnoud decided to travel to a number of Latin-American countries in order to compare the reality of the street children and the approaches of the projects in various cities. For a period of six months, he took his backpack and travelled through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. He came back home with a vast quantity of information.


1998: Thesis reviewed

All this information pointed out the need to redesign the mobile school. At that time (summer of 1998) Arnoud decided that the moment had come to finally produce the school and to have it tested by the only relevant jury: the street kids.
Some volunteers joined the project to further develop the educational element, while the first contact was established with the Community School of Munsterbilzen (GSM), which committed itself to build the mobile schools with the pupils of the technical department. Both the volunteers from the educational team as well as the pupils and teachers from the GSM did a terrific job. As a result 2 mobile schools were ready for departure one year later.


1999: Postgraduate 'Cultures and Development Studies'

Before going to Latin America, Arnoud briefly returned to university. He followed a postgraduate study in 'Cultures and Development' in order to expand his background with regard to international development cooperation. During these studies he met Ann Van Hellemont. Ann joined the project as a volunteer and later on she would become co-founder of the non-profit organisation Mobile School vzw.


2000: Implementation of the first two prototypes

Arnoud, together with a team of volunteers, went to Guatemala and Bolivia to start up the first prototypes within the structure of the local NGOs (non-governmental organisation). Casa Alianza in the city of Guatemala and Enda in the city of El Alto in Bolivia became the local partners. The team followed-up the progress of the mobile schools for over a year, after which the first evaluation rapport was written. The evaluations clearly pointed out a number of growing pains regarding the concept, but it was even more obvious that the mobile school was able to have a significant influence on the situation of many street kids. So the task was clear: to clear away the growing pains and to develop the concept further.
During this year of working on the streets of Guatemala and Bolivia the mobile school suddenly received a lot of attention from the press, thanks to a documentary on Belgian national television, called 'Napels zien'. This increased attention brought forth more supporters, volunteers and funds, which made it possible to continue the mobile school project.
Nevertheless, Arnoud and his colleagues encountered problems concerning their legal and statutory situation one year later, after the next evaluation period in Central America. During a period of 6 years of working as a volunteer, Arnoud gradually lost his rights to social security and benefits, placing him in a position which no longer allowed him to continue the project on a voluntary basis without great risk to his financial situation.
At this point they realised that the period of working within a voluntary structure must come to an end. If this project was to continue efficiently, a minimum of professional structure was necessary.


2002: Establishing a professional structure, 'Mobile School vzw'

In the summer of 2002 the organisation Solid international decided to supply the mobile school project with the necessary financial means in order to continue within a professional framework (a five-year term). The office was opened and the structure was expanded. That same year, a new redesigned version of the mobile school was produced in a series of 5 schools. It was the same school (GSM) that took care of this production. In the course of the years 2003 and 2004 these new schools were allocated to Colombia, Venezuela, The Dominican Republic and Peru. One school remained in Belgium to be used for awareness-raising activities and workshops. Once the organisation had been professionalised, it developed into a team, supported by a broadly structured network of committed volunteers.
This history shows the early start of a young organisation with a clear ambition of playing a role in improving the life of many street kids.