Tendekayi Katsiga, creator of world’s first solar-powered hearing aid

Tendekayi Katsiga, a technology entrepreneur and founder of Deaftronics, has created the world's first solar-powered hearing aid called "Solar Ear". He was able to create the solar-powered hearing aid battery charger from a workshop in Botswana.

"We came up with the solar rechargeable hearing aid when we realized that most people in Africa and in developing countries are given hearing aids by non-governmental organisations," Katsiga said in a video interview with Youngpreneur Media.

The whole idea was birthed when Katsiga, an electronics technician, had just moved to Botswana from his hometown Zimbabwe. He bumped into Johnny, a young boy at a local mall, who had requested him to read from a newspaper.

Katsiga realized how difficult it was for 15-year-old Johnny to communicate. He realized that even though Johnny had a hearing aid, it was not functional, because he couldn't afford the batteries, they sell them at $1 apiece.

Katsiga thought of a solution hence the birth of Deaftronics, which was launched in 2009. According to Katsiga, he founded Deaftronics as a solution suitable for hearing-impaired people living in the developing world.

His company manufactures affordable, solar rechargeable hearing aids in Botswana and distributes them to other parts of Africa and Brazil.

The Deaftronics hearing aid is sold with a solar charger and four rechargeable batteries that last up to three years. The batteries can be used in 80 per cent of hearing aids on the market today.

In 2015, Katsiga won the Social impact prize at the Tech-I Competition.

Source: face2faceafrica.com