Samsung's Social Innovation Solar Powered Classroom

Samsung believes a company's success is measured not only by its business achievements but also by how well it serves its community, protects the planet's resources and makes a difference to people's lives, which is why Samsung has built a social innovation solar powered classroom in Johannesburg, South Africa. KK Park, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Africa, says, "We have set an ambitious goal for ourselves in Africa: to positively impact 5 million lives by 2015."

This amazing classroom opened this October, and is built inside a 12-metre-long shipping container with a range of social innovation technology, from solar powered laptops, tablets, different types of computers, a video camera and a 50-inch e-board in place of a blackboard. The classroom has space for 21 pupils and a teacher, and includes a ventilation system designed to maintain a pleasant climate inside the container. It also has an energy-efficient fridge, a file server loaded with educational content, a router and what could be the world's first wi-fi camera. However, if the sun does not come out to play, then the classroom is equipped with the good old fashioned basics of chalk and board.

The thinking behind this solar powered school is that it is mobile! As it can easily be transported by truck to remote areas, it can endure difficult weather conditions and run where there is no electricity supply. It has foldaway solar innovation solar panels which can generate enough energy to power the classroom's equipment for up to nine hours a day and for day and a half without sunlight. The panels are made from rubber instead of glass to ensure they are robust and can withstand the long bumpy journeys across the continent.

Samsung says, "Electricity remains Africa's largest economic challenge with the level of penetration lower than 25% in most rural areas. This lack of power isolates communities, and limits their access to education and information, both of which are key to fast-tracking a nation's development." This social innovation model is the first of its kind and is being piloted at the Samsung Electronics Engineering Academy, Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. It will then be put into operation on a trial basis in Qunu in the Eastern Cape.

The Samsung Engineering Academy is an initiative to boost technical and engineering skills locally. It equips underprivileged students attending government technical schools with the knowledge and practical experience required to make them competitive in the local job market. This electronic brand wants to address these educational issues which challenges Africa through social innovation, because these problems also affect the overall industry that Samsung is involved in and where it wants to do business.

Photo Credit: Samsung's main web site