Solar-Powered Backpacks Light Up the Future for African Children
2025-01-23
Innocent James, founder of Tanzanian startup Soma Bags, experienced firsthand the struggles of reading after dark due to lack of electricity in rural Tanzania. His solution? Solar-powered backpacks made from recycled cement bags. These innovative backpacks charge a built-in reading light while children walk to and from school, providing 6-8 hours of illumination – a cheaper and cleaner alternative to kerosene lamps. Soma Bags has sold 36,000 backpacks and is supported by the UNDP, demonstrating a sustainable and impactful solution to energy poverty and improving access to education for children in rural Africa.
Startup
African entrepreneurship