Samuel Karumbo from Langas, UasinGishu County, developed a solar-powered car in a bid to beat the high cost of fuel.
He explained that he always desired to own a car but he was not in a position to afford buying a brand new car.
Being an innovator, Karumbo says he decided to build his car from scratch.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
In an interview with Nation, Karumbo explained that before coming up with the idea of building his car, he badly needed one.
However, he said that he didn’t need a regular car but a cost-effective one, thus the invention of his solar-powered vehicle.
“I always wanted a car but because I didn’t have enough money, I just remembered that I’m an innovator. I thought of coming up with a unique car that does not require fuel,” he added.
Karumbo note that after carefully thinking of his necessities, he embarked on a four-months journey to building the car.
“The solar panels collect rays from the sun then converts the rays to be electrical energy which are then stored in a battery. Energy stored in the battery can power the car,” he explained.
The car can also be used to charge mobile phones and provide home lighting.
Karumbo rose to fame for developing a bed that could store energy and be used to charge mobile phones, tablets and other electronic gadgets.
In a past interview, he explained that when two people get the action, they generate a lot of energy that is stored it for other uses.
The power produced is then stored in a battery, and it can charge two mobile phone, one laptop and light the house.
He attended Kapsara Secondary and sat for his Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education examinations in 2005.
He proceeded to enrol at the Kitale Technical Polytechnic to pursue a Diploma course in Electrical Installation.
The innovator also holds a diploma in business management from the Kenya Institute of Management.
“However, the bed will vibrate more when this wasted energy is taken advantage of by a collector under the bed which turns and rotate the generator attached to it,” Karumbo said.
Karumbo had also hit the headlines for developing a cooking system driven by a cell phone.
He attributes the success of his innovations to his keen observation skills, hunger for knowledge and love for invention.
He noted that there is a huge market demand for his innovation.
The electrician noted that his biggest challenge was financial constraints at the time. He appealed for support from members of the public and the government.
He hoped the government would recognize his efforts and support the initiative.
