Wind-up lightbulbs for Africa

The Freeplay Foundation is developing a type of wind-up light which they hope will improve the standard of living in Africa.

The foundation hope that by using the wind-up lights it will rid the country of more expensive, harmful and polluting method of light their homes.

The wind-up light is a spin-off of the wind -up radio and although the company have already developed similar products like small torches they want to create a bigger brighter bulb for the home. The company are also developing a charging unit where several detachable lights can be charged at one time.

Director of the Freeplay Foundation, Kristine Pearson, said that for the majority of people in Africa, life stops or narrows a great deal when the sun goes down and her company believe that an extra two hours of light could make all the difference.

Freeplay plans on training women in how to sell and maintain the lights. The company hopes to field test prototypes in the next few months in parts of Kenya.