Empowering safety through innovation: the Bohlale Mphahlele invention will change lives, one earpiece at a time. Image credit: IOL via instagram
(The Post News) – A 16-year-old from Limpopo is making waves in the tech industry with her Bohlale Mphahlele invention, an earpiece that could save lives. Specifically, the device is designed to alert the authorities of any danger women and children encounter on a daily basis, mainly sexual assault.
Bohlale Mphahlele Invention: A Life-Saving Tool for Women and Children
The device looks like an ordinary earring but tucked inside is a lifeline. With just one discreet press, the device quietly snaps a photo of the attacker and sends a live location alert to trusted contacts and emergency services. In this way, it’s fast, silent, and potentially lifesaving, offering both immediate help and crucial evidence for justice. Mphahlele’s invention has already drawn attention for its practical impact.
Bohlale told Uzalendo News that she was motivated by the number of gender-based violence cases faced in the country. She explained that technology should not only be meant for convenience but must also save lives.
The teen stated that she has seen and read many stories of women and children being attacked and, therefore, took it upon herself to create a device that could help make life a little better. Mphahlele’s invention is designed exactly for this purpose.
According to media reports, South Africa faces one of the highest rates of gender-based violence globally. For example, more than 120,000 cases of violent crimes against women and children were reported in a single year, with many more going unreported, silenced by fear and stigma. It is this silence, in fact, that Bohlale hopes to break. Her invention earned her recognition and awards for tackling such a critical issue.
Bohlale Mphahlele Invention: Recognition and Impact on Society
Her invention earned her a bronze medal in the engineering-electronics category at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, where judges praised her for tackling one of the country’s most urgent social issues with elegance and innovation.
Polly Boshielo, Limpopo’s Education MEC, described Bohlale Mphahlele as a “role model and change-maker,” further highlighting the importance of support from government and private stakeholders to help refine and scale the prototype.
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