Teen named Jeremiah in Sierra Leone creates clean energy from footsteps to power homes and schools

Jeremiah Thoronka from Sierra Leone created a way to make electricity from people walking and cars passing by. His invention, through Optim Energy, now powers homes and schools without needing fuel or batteries. It’s helped thousands of people, and he hopes to help even more in the future.

In recognition of his innovative work, Thoronka was awarded the Global Student Prize at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

He continues to expand Optim Energy's reach, aiming to electrify 100,000 households by 2030 and integrate the technology into healthcare and emergency services.

Thoronka's efforts align with Sierra Leone's broader energy transformation goals, including deploying 200 mini-grids to electrify rural areas and participating in the Mission 300 initiative, which aims to electrify 300 million Africans by 2030. ​