Solar Smartphone Charging Stations Providing Free Electricity To Refugees In Greece

Smartphone has turned up to real lifeline for refugees and migrants, but as long as the battery of the device lasts. Next, the overcrowded camps make it hard to access to electricity.

Understanding such situations, which is not limited to just refugees and migrants, a team of students from Edinburgh University has developed mobile phone charging station that is powered by the sun.

Two of such units have been installed in camps in Greece to generate electricity for twelve plugs an hour. It is said 240 people can use each unit a day.

One of the founders of the device, Alexandros Angelopoulos, visited the island of Samos last summer and an idea of solar charging station clicked in his mind.

Island of Samos is an entry point into Europe for refugees and migrants fleeing from Middle East and beyond.

The 20-year-old founder said people had started asking him for his cell phone to call family and use Internet.

Co-founder Samuel Kellerhals said, “We just wanted to make a positive contribution to local communities through renewable energy.”

The products are named Project Elpis, which means hope in Greek. It is designed and built with the help of Entec, a Greek solar technology company.

The company said more three units are now being developed.

The first unit has been installed at the Kara Tepe camp on Lesbos and it is found the residents are thrilled with it.