Sierra Leonean student inventor wins global prize

Sierra Leonean student Jeremiah Thoronka has won a global prize for his clean energy invention.

He has come up with a device that uses kinetic energy from traffic and pedestrians to generate clean power.

Mr Thoronka was awarded $100,000 (£74,000) for winning the 2021 Global Student Prize.

He told the BBC Focus on Africa radio that he was excited and grateful for the award that celebrates students “taking responsibility and contributing towards national development”.

Every year, Chegg.org awards “exceptional” students who make a “real impact on learning”.

Mr Thoronka’s device seeks to utilise the population growth in cities.

“There’s need for energy systems and plants and so for me I looked at the perspective where the kinetic energy people give out when moving can be stored,” he said.

The student emerged top among 3,500 other young people who had entered the competition.

He plans to use the prize money to help his local community access energy.