Fewer African schoolchildren will be left in the dark, thanks to solar innovation gaining traction across the continent.

A backpack with an installed solar component that can connect to an LED lamp is lighting children’s homes in Côte d’Ivoire, thanks to the help of NGO Yiwôzone, as reported by EWN. The organisation works to support the human rights of girls and women in rural through education and training.

Côte d’Ivoire’s electrification rate is 62%, and just 31% of rural areas have access to power. The Solarpak backpack has a small solar panel installed in the front that charges throughout the day and can power the lamp for up to three hours. The backpack not only generates light in the evening, enabling the children to do their homework; but it also provides pupils with a sturdy bag in which to carry their schoolbooks.

Designed by computer salesman Evariste Akoumian, at least 55 000 units have already been sold – benefiting children in Gabon, Madagascar, and Burkina Faso through exports too.

6 November 2018
Image: Association Salif