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Hi, we’re Climatebase Fellows (Cohort 7)! Our project is the Djembe Glow, and our mission is to bring light to vulnerable, off-grid rural communities in Africa.
Over 85 million Nigerians still don’t have access to electricity, that’s nearly a quarter of the U.S. population living without light. Across sub-Saharan Africa, the number climbs to over 600 million, almost double the U.S. population. Many families rely on toxic kerosene lamps, candles, or live in complete darkness once the sun sets.
Led by Someone Who’s Been There
This project is led by Sayedero Enitan, founder of the Solardero Foundation, a grassroots nonprofit that donates solar-powered school bags and solar STEM toys to children in underserved communities - completely free (See DW News Feature).
In many places where the Foundation works, families have never had electricity, and most aren’t even connected to the grid.
During impact visits, Sayedero met families whose only source of light was a solar school bag designed for a single child. Imagine four to five people gathered around one small bag because they couldn’t afford candles or kerosene.
“That moment changed everything for me. I knew I had to design something bigger — a solution that could serve a whole household, not just one child.” – Sayedero
Introducing the Djembe Glow
The Djembe Glow is a 360 degree portable solar lantern shaped like the iconic West African Djembe drum. It’s designed to light up an entire space so that:
- A child can study in one corner
- A mother can continue her small business after dark and earn more.
- A phone can be charged — without waiting for the weekly market day or paying to use a public plug
- A home can be safely lit without the health risks of kerosene or the fire hazard of candles
It’s more than a lantern — it’s a tool for energy access, safety, and dignity.
Where We Are Now
We’ve built our first 3D-printed prototype and received great feedback from our fellowship peers and early supporters.
But this is just the beginning.
Our next steps focus on research and development. Creating more prototypes, refining our design, and gathering real-world feedback from rural families, all to make the Djembe Glow the best solution for their lighting needs.
What’s Next — And How You Can Help
We’re raising $45,000 to bring the Djembe Glow to life by:
- Getting a better 3D printer for building additional prototypes with improved features
- Exploring recyclable, scalable materials
- Partnering with manufacturers to create custom molds
- Conducting product testing with actual users
- Obtaining lighting safety certifications to guarantee the Djembe Glow meets safety standards and can be trusted by families.
- Setting up a small-scale assembly line to create local jobs
- Producing and distributing 50–100 lanterns by December 2025 (focusing on households with women and children)
We’ll track impact, gather user feedback, and use that data to scale responsibly.
How You Can Join Us
- Donate – Every amount helps bring light to a family
- Share – Tell someone who might care
- Connect – Know someone in manufacturing, clean tech, or philanthropy? Introduce us!