In times of social distancing, Solar Cow connects the world for the greater good

Much more than a flashlight: Solar Milk flashlight gives backers power to send kids to school and connect supporter with the kids through data.

Solar Milk battery and flashlight set is now available on Kickstarter.

News provided by

Born2Global Centre

Nov 17, 2020, 08:30 ET

SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The world is facing the challenge of embracing a new lifestyle, one that has been thrust upon us with very little time to prepare. But this year has also given many the opportunities to appreciate technology as an invaluable tool, a bridge that connects people at a time when we cannot be together. YOLK, a solar technology startup and a member company of Born2Global Centre, has embraced this function of technology and demonstrates its potential for the future.

YOLK is behind a project called Solar Cow, an initiative that tackles both child labor and energy problems in rural Africa. A charging station named Solar Cow is installed at a school, and children come to charge their own portable Solar Milk batteries while they study. At the end of the day, they return home with a fully charged Solar Milk that can be used as a flashlight and charge devices like cell phones and radios. This green energy becomes a tangible incentive for parents to send their children to school instead of work.

For its innovative design and contribution to a better world, it was nominated as Time Magazine's "100 Best Inventions of 2019" and received the Innovation Award at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Now, YOLK aims to connect the world with a state of the art Solar Cow. Adopting a data centric approach to expand their project, they have incorporated a feature that allows Solar Cow to record data each time an individual Solar Milk is charged, store it for a designated number of months, and share it with supporters.

Each Solar Milk battery has unique ID code and a backer who provides a child in Africa with one Solar Milk can choose to be updated on the attendance data. It allows the backer to establish a connection with a child in one of the most rural communities, meaning each time the child plugs in the battery to be charged, the backer can be assured the child is at school, building a future with their support.

A Solar Milk is a lithium ion battery with 2,900mA of power, which can charge a 2G phone and have enough power left to use as a flashlight. The Solar Milk flashlight is an LED module that is fitted into the battery, and users can simply switch modes between bright and dim light. It lasts up to 4hours at 200 lumen in bright mode, and 6 hours at 125 lumen. While the Solar Milk batteries are powered by the sun in Tanzania, those provided to our supporters can be charged using a USB-C cable.

One of YOLK's core values is "Solar for Everyone". In line with that philosophy, the team Last two years YOLK has implemented Solar Cow in Kwale, Pokot region in Kenya and Arusha in Tanzania and also selected as national conference partner project such as P4G.

Now YOLK is running a Kickstarter campaign to reach to more children who need Solar Cow.

With the Kickstarter backing, YOLK aims to take Solar Cows to the Tanzanian regions of Zanzibar and Kigoma. These areas have high rural poverty - with many people living without electricity access and with low school attendance rates. In Kigoma, only 8.3% graduate from secondary school.

Delivering individual and real data of users in Africa to campaign backers is something that no other project has yet attempted, and this is sure to appeal to those looking for a new way to contribute to creating positive change with measurable outcomes.

Innovative. Practical. Real data. These are the three aspects of Solar Cow that translates the efforts of this initiative into real impact. In Covid-19, people are disconnected and depressed.

Solar Cow suggests a way for technology for a better world.

Solar Milk battery and flashlight set is now available on Kickstarter. Rewards start at $28.

For more detailed information on YOLK, visit http://yolkstation.com/.

Kickstarter campaign link:
http://kck.st/3nAd3HP

High resolution images:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1pvpnpPcIaUlygvEz9Oey0x0W4nJR6JYN

Media contact

YOLK: [email protected]
Born2Global Centre: [email protected]

SOURCE Born2Global Centre