Rita Alvarez

Tropic Repair Hub

Townsville, QLD · 19.2700° S, 146.8000° E

People & CultureEducationRepair & reuse

What I'm fixing

A throwaway habit and no one left who can fix anything.

Making repair social, then making it a job.

Program

Fortnightly public repair sessions across three suburbs.

Program

Twelve-week program feeding into local workshops.

Product

Trained participants · Workshop programs

Application

Education · Repair & reuse · Community

Current focus

Turning the pathway into recognised training with employer partners.

Looking for

Permanent venue · Employers · Recurring funding

What problem are you solving?: Repair skills have disappeared in one generation, and with them a whole layer of local resilience and work.
Who does it help?: Households, young people looking for a trade path, and every maker who needs skilled hands.
What is the innovation?: A repair café that doubles as a recognised skills pathway into local manufacturing.
What are your barriers?: Venue costs and volunteer burnout; funding is per-project not per-year.
What do you need?: A permanent venue, tool donations and employers on the other end of the pathway.
Would you like to collaborate?: Yes — if you need trained hands, help me train them.

Can offer

Looking for