A West African science prodigy inspired scientists from top tier U.S. universities by transforming trash into technological solutions to empower his community – and he is only 16.
Kelvin Doe, also known as DJ Focus, is a self-taught inventor from Freetown, Sierra Leone.
“He literally goes into trash cans, finds broken electronic parts from the garbage and makes stuff on his own,” said David Sengeh, the PhD student at MIT who organized Doe’s trip to the U.S. for his university’s “Visiting Practitioner’s Program.”
Doe – the program’s youngest participant ever – was invited on the strength of a local FM radio station he created to address important local issues, reported ABC News.
Still a teen, Doe has been inventing electrical solutions for his community.
“The lights will come on once in a week, and the rest of the month, dark,” Doe said. “So, I made my own battery to power lights in people’s houses.”
Doe also plans to design a windmill to generate more electricity, he explained.
