In 2021 the FREETOWN INNOVATION LAB was born out of the desire to foster a dedicated space where some of the greatest minds from Sierra Leone and the African continent come together to innovate and create solutions to common problems, that affect the every day lives of Africans. At the FREETOWN INNOVATION LAB women and men, work side by side, synergizing their unique skillsets, to create innovative products that transform the lives of ordinary people across the African continen.
Turning waste into opportunity, power and hope.
eco-friendLy pavers made from plastic waste
Our eco-friendly pavers are built from recycled plastic and other waste materials, transforming trash into durable, affordable, and stylish solutions for homes, walkways, and public spaces. Each paver reduces waste in landfills, prevents pollution, and provides communities with sustainable alternatives to cement, while protecting the environment for future generations.
We design hybrid green energy systems, made from recycled materials, combining hydro & wind or solar & wind.
Through R&D we optimize system durability to work under sunny & windy conditions.
Thus far, we trained 100+ youths and women in renewable energy installation and maintenance.
From Scrap to Power: Clean Energy Solutions for Every Community.
With only 23% of Sierra Leoneans having access to electricity and rural access being as low as 4%, lack of electricity limits education, healthcare and farm productivity.
Rural households rely on firewood, kerosene, and generators, which contribute to deforestation, air pollution, CO₂ emission and ultimately climate change.Our hybrid HYDRO°WIND and WIND°SOL energy solutions have prevented over 20 tons of CO₂ emissions, contributing to climate mitigation.
energy x change
ENERGY X CHANGE is a female led community project initiated by the FEMALE INNOVATION LAB where female wisdom and skills are exchanged for solar powered energy across the village. In Sierra Leone, where only 20% of the nation have access to electricity, lack of access affects the majority of the population. While women have traditionally made black soap for thousands of years, they typically make it in small batches for their families or to sell in the market. Here women of the village come together to make the black soap in larger quantities from naturally occurring resources, that is then exported and sold internationally.
In exchange the FREETOWN INNOVATION LAB, installed a solar powered energy grid in the remote village, that previously relied on sunlight for light. Now children can study after sunset and families can perform other tasks after sunset. Honoring age old female wisdom is innovation in a world that is returning to organic, natural skin care and beauty products. Leveraging female wisdom changes lives.
Once fully developed and scaled, the DIVINITY HELICOPTER can serve as a transformative tool strengthening disaster response, saving lives during emergencies, such as rescues during floods, rapid medical aid delivery, and other life-saving operations.
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT - our ideas can fly
The DIVINITY HELICOPTER demonstrates the power of local ingenuity, transforming discarded scrap materials into a groundbreaking solution, that can serve vital purposes in Sierra Leone.
The DIVINITY HELICOPTER inspires a new generation of African innovators to engineer homegrown solutions for local and global challenges.
eco friendly furnitires
Recycling Discarded Tires into Furnitures
We partner with communities and youth groups to procure waste, such as discarded tires from landfills, gutters, beaches and other polluted areas. At the Freetown Innovation Lab, we transform these tires into stylish and functional products such as furniture and bins, introducing our PROcycling approach into homes, conferences, classrooms and offices.
Through our Trash Ca$h system, we offer income opportunities to marginalized groups and unskilled laborers, while keeping the environment clean.
impact at a glance
TESTIMONIALS
