In Sierra Leone, 94% of the population does not have access to electricity. Without reliable electricity, education, health, and communications suffer.To solve this problem, World Hope is providing clean, affordable energy to off-grid communities in Sierra Leone through smart solar battery packs. This helps improve livelihoods, reduce carbon emissions, and improve health! Now toxic diesel generators won't be needed to charge cell phones, loved ones can stay in touch, and kids can study at night.
The town of Pate Bana was heavily affected by the Ebola Outbreak that swept through Sierra Leone in 2014. More than 200 people in this small village were killed by the virus. Mobile phones are one way that these villagers find work, make payments, and enjoy connectedness with friends and family. Unfortunately, due to the lack of electricity, phones are sent away to other villages to charge and often stolen. A few have access to charges from dirty diesel generators that emit toxic fumes.
World Hope's Mobile Power project seeks to provide villages like Pate Bana with a system that can provide clean power, improve quality of life, and create jobs. We developed a smart solar battery that can charge phones, computers, and lights! With this technology, villagers no longer have to send their tech away to charge, and can enjoy light in their homes long into the night. This also improves the local economy, by giving opportunities to entrepreneurs who can rent out the batteries.
When children have access to light into the night, they can read, study, and enjoy time with their family. This improves their quality of life and the chances that they will succeed in their education. Villagers won't need to send their electronics to other villages to charge, where they could be stolen or broken. They will have more reliable access to technology. There are also longlasting impacts for the environment, since the harmful diesel generators can finally be retired.
