Samuel Karumbo Ng’ang’a is an Eldoret-based electrician who rose to fame for developing a bed that could store energy and be used to charge mobile phones, tablets and other electronic gadgets.
In an interview with NTV, Karumbo explained that when two people get the action, they generate a lot of energy that is stored it for other uses.
In this article, WoK profiles the electrician’s work experience, innovations, and projects.
Background & Education
Karumbo was born and raised in Langas, Eldoret Town in Uasin Gishu County.
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.
Immediately after graduating, he sought for employment to do maintenance work.
Karumbo who also holds a diploma in business management from the Kenya Institute of Management
Career & Hustle
Karumbo developed a bed that produces energy by any shake or vibration, especially during a couple’s love-making sessions. The power is then stored in a battery. It can charge two mobile phones, and 1 laptop and light the house.
“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 told NTV.
Karumbo sold his first bed to a friend identified as, Samuel Njuguna Maina, who he said still used it at the time of the interview.
“I only used Ksh2,000 to make the bed and later sold it at Ksh4,000. I have been receiving orders from people but what I lack is the finance to manufacture more beds of that kind,” he explained.
After developing the bed, the electrician noted that all he did was modify it and install other necessary gadgets to generate energy. Unfortunately, at the time of the interview, he was unable to produce more beds.
“Currently because of financial constraints, I am not able to make the bed. What I only do is install the digital power project. The motor that runs below the bed is what I install and it costs Ksh4,000. The entire exercise takes minutes,” he explained.
He noted that the world was moving towards modern forms of energy and his innovation was one of the modern solutions.
“And for vision 2030 to be realised, this is a project that can increase power on our grill system. Look at it this way; if all the married couples can use the digital bed, it means every bed can produce one watt and so you can imagine 10 million beds that means 10, 000, 000 watts which is a lot of power,” he said.
Karumbo explained that when he sought out to develop the bed, he wanted a project that was a first of its kind.
“So one day I was watching a movie and it was very funny because the movement of what people do during sex was exactly what it needed to create my powerhouse,” he noted.
“You see the bed will produce energy even when someone is just turning on the bed but during sex, the power is more and continues and all I can tell you is that my friend with whom I sold the first bed can prove that it works.”
Samuel had also hit the headlines for developing a cooking system driven by a cell phone as well as a solar-powered car.
The car was eco-friendly but can also be used to light the house and charge gadgets. The car is unique in that it depends on gravity when moving downhill. It weighed 120kgs and could only cover 50 km daily at the time. It used three solar panels (at the rear, top, and front) with 260 watts to produce clean energy which was then stored in batteries. A project he estimated to have cost him about $1250.
Karumbo had numerous creative and interesting inventions and projects. Among his earlier inventions was the machine that assists the physically challenged to eat, drink and brush their teeth, phones that can ignite electric cookers and mobile-controlled irrigation projects. He also worked on developing a robot that can drive cars.
Samuel attributed the success 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. Excitedly, his community had called on the County and National governments to support his aspirations of creating more solar cars for Kenyans. Karumba wasn’t only celebrated for his creative, and time-valued innovative skills, but also for being a role model for the youths in the slum who looked up to learning from him.
