Groxie

I recently got my hands on a new flashlight that charges its batteries using solar power. The light, called a BoGo light (Buy One Give One), could change the lives of thousands of people across Africa. The BoGo light is sold by SunNight Solar, a company founded by Mark Bent. When you purchase a $25 light, SunNight will send an additional, identical light to one of many aid organizations working in Africa. The lights are distributed to families and villages, where the lights can be used nightly for about 2 years before the batteries need to be replaced.

Lighting Africa

When I asked Bent why he tackled light and not one of the many other problems facing poor African villages, he explained that “Light empowers people without creating a sense of dependency.” In areas without electricity, kerosene is the most common fuel used for light and cooking; it is expensive, dangerous, and not a very good source of light. The U.N. estimates that the average African family spends about 1/3 of their income on fuel. Recipients of the lights own a solution—it’s not like handing out food to people who will need to return again the next day when the hunger returns.

The “cost savings are enormous,” and families can put the money saved to good use by improving land, buying more livestock, or getting a better education for their children. In his experience, Bent has found that people take these savings seriously—“People don’t waste it. It isn’t that they’re not smart. The problem is that they don’t have capital.”

One family explained to Bent how the light had changed their lives. The wife often found herself blinded by wood smoke, kerosene fumes, and steam while cooking. As a result, she wasted lots of time just trying to determine when her food was ready. Now cooking takes less time because she uses the light to shine through the steam and smoke, and there’s no need to use kerosene for light. At the same time, the family loses less livestock to night births. With the kerosene lantern it was difficult to see if there were any complications, and the umbilical cord sometimes ended up choking a newborn animal. With the BoGo light, these accidents are preventable.

Children, often busy with cottage industries or other chores during the day, now can read and finish their homework at night. Bent is also developing lights for hospitals where many newborns die of jaundice that could be cured by a simple light treatment.

Construction

The light is durable and dependable, built to take a beating and last many years. Six low power LEDs give the light a runtime of 8–10 hours. Solar panels on the side can completely recharge the batteries in just 4–5 hours, and the solar panels even worked here in rainy, overcast Portland. The bright orange plastic case makes it easy to see during the day, and a glow strip makes for easy locating at night. There is a small hook at the top of the light, ideal for hanging up to light a small room or tent.

You may, like me, be surprised to find that this powerful tool comes complete with a “Made in China” stamp. I immediately thought of underpaid, underage, overworked factory workers slaving away to make better lives for Africans. But Bent’s vision for SunNight is all-encompassing.

Bent traveled to China to find the right factory. He surveyed the conditions, talked to the employees, and found owners who understood his vision. He’s even working on a profit sharing plan, an idea that was completely alien to the factory owners. On his last visit, he treated the factory workers to a day at the beach. The production of the BoGo light appears to be beneficial to all parties involved.

Good for You, Too!

So now you know BoGo is good for the African recipients, but it’s also a worthwhile tool to keep around even if you have regular access to electricity. It makes a great emergency flashlight, and it will accompany us on camping trips from now on. Its durable, water resistant design makes it perfect for backpacking. While it’s a little larger and heavier than most lights designed for that purpose, its self-charging feature more than makes up for the inconvenience of a little extra weight.

I’m also a sucker for an interesting story, and Bent’s is a good one. He has worked in Africa as a marine, a diplomat, and then for an oil company. After working with governments and aid agencies for years, he was in a unique position to tackle a problem that wasn’t getting enough attention. His unusual set of skills and connections gave him the confidence to pursue BoGo.

If you’re beginning to feel like this is a commercial, worry not. I’m not getting paid to hype BoGo. But I was amazed by Mark Bent’s story, and impressed by his ability to combine pragmatism and idealism in a business venture that stands to make a serious difference. Underwhelmed by solutions that were “well-meaning without understanding” and “too complicated and too expensive,” he decided to take action. I appreciate his vision; he hopes to start manufacturing the lights in Africa in the future, and is looking into replacing the ABS plastic with bamboo or another sustainable material eventually.

At 49, with a wife and 4 kids, Bent admits “My generation screwed this whole thing up.” Unlike most of his generation, he’s giving his best faith effort to fix it. You have to love that.