JEREMIAH THORONKA
SIERRA LEONE, 19
Project: Optim Energy
Basic Human Needs: Environment
In Sierra Leone, over 89% of the population suffers from energy deficiency. In Jeremiah’s community, firewood and charcoal were the only sources of light and heat for necessities such as students studying or families cooking food. Photochemical smog – a negative consequence of burning coal – causes air pollution, water pollution and respiratory problems among peers in his community. Jeremiah used his skills in science to develop Optim Energy, an innovative piezoelectric device that harnesses energy from heat, vibrations and weather, all which naturally occur in the environment, to create affordable, accessible and clean power. Since 2017, Jeremiah has grown Optim Energy into a larger initiative aiming to build a sustainable energy sector in Sierra Leone, diminish greenhouse gas emissions and educate citizens on climate change. Optim Energy has powered 150 homes and student centers free of cost to date. Jeremiah was recognized as a 2019 United Nations Academic Impact and Millennium Campus Network Fellow and invited to present at the 2019 African Leadership University School of Wildlife Conservation Conference. He is currently working to improve the Optim Energy prototype to provide a higher voltage of power and officially launch the product. In 2020, Jeremiah will officially establish the Sierra Leone Student Energy and Conservation organization to foster a generation of energy conservation leaders through service, research and awareness. Jeremiah is on a mission to rewrite the African energy access narrative by providing clean, affordable energy to the entire continent.