Kenyan CNN hero’s solar lantern wins another trophy

Mr Evans Wadongo with Mrs Mary Kimonye, CEO Brand Kenya, when he was named a finalist for the CNN award in 2010. FILE

By WANGUI MAINA, pmaina@ke.nationmedia.com

Growing up in rural Kenya, Evans Wadongo had little access to electricity and water.

As a 19-year-old student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat), he came up with an idea to replace the kerosene lamps with more sustainable solar-powered LED lanterns.

He used part of his university scholarship to build the first Sustainable Development for All (SDFA) lantern to provide rural lighting.

His initiative beat three other regional firms to be awarded $50,000 (Sh4.2 million) at this year’s Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship (AAE) for the Outstanding Social Entrepreneur Award.

The new category recognises organisations that demonstrate outstanding innovation and entrepreneurship while addressing socio-economic development in the region.

Mr Wadongo’s innovation has been recognised as a 2010 CNN Hero and he was named by Forbes as one of African entrepreneurs under the age of 30 making an impact in the region.

Organised by the African Leadership Network (ALN), the 2007 awards recognise African businesses, in different sectors that transform lives.

ALN’s chief executive Isaac Fokuo said the awards position the winners as role models to inspire the next generation and accelerate Africa’s take-off.

“Their stellar achievements strongly inspire us and serve as a robust reminder of Africa’s potential.”

Kenya’s Manu Chandaria was awarded the lifetime achievement trophy this year as icon business leaders on the continent. The awards were announced last week in Mauritius.

SDFA won Kenya’s Akili ni Dada, which was also nominated in the same category. AKili ni Dada, launched in 2005, reaches mainly women from the underprivileged backgrounds and sets them to bridge the gap with scholarships and different sponsorships.

Ghana-based Golden Baobab Prize, which rewards writers and illustrators in the region also got awards.

Kenya’s technology firm Mode, which was nominated in the Outstanding Mature Business Award, lost out to the Gambia’s first and largest internet service provider QuantumNet Group.

Nigeria’s Interswitch Limited, which offers integration payment, won the Transformational Business Award. Small and growing business awarded was Madagascar’s Guanomad, an agro-processing firm.