In a country where gender-based violence (GBV) is a challenge, a 16-year-old South African girl has stepped forward with a groundbreaking solution to protect women and children.
Bohlale Mphahlele, a learner from SJ van der Merwe Technical High School in Limpopo, has designed a discreet, wearable device that could save lives. The invention, called the ALERTING EARPIECE, looks like a simple earring but is packed with powerful technology to combat GBV and human trafficking. The Alerting Earpiece works with stunning simplicity.
By pressing a hidden button, the device: Quietly captures photos of the attacker using a concealed camera, and sends immediate distress alerts, including the victim’s live location, to trusted contacts and emergency services.
This innovative device not only enables faster response times but also provides crucial evidence for legal action, often a missing link in the fight against GBV.
Bohlale Mphahlele, a learner from SJ van der Merwe Technical High School in Limpopo, has designed a discreet, wearable device that could save lives. The invention, called the ALERTING EARPIECE, looks like a simple earring but is packed with powerful technology to combat GBV and human trafficking. The Alerting Earpiece works with stunning simplicity.
By pressing a hidden button, the device: Quietly captures photos of the attacker using a concealed camera, and sends immediate distress alerts, including the victim’s live location, to trusted contacts and emergency services.
This innovative device not only enables faster response times but also provides crucial evidence for legal action, often a missing link in the fight against GBV.
Bohlale explained that her goal was to create something small and fast enough to help someone in crisis without them needing to shout or run. It was about giving women and children a fighting chance.
Since graduating high school, Bohlale has been steadily turning her idea into a real product. She founded her own company, Mphahlele Alerts (Pty) Ltd, to focus on refining and eventually launching the Alerting Earpiece.
At the same time, she’s been studying towards a degree in Information Technology, determined to sharpen her skills and grow her impact. She also joined an innovation programme that supports young women developing solutions for their communities.
Since graduating high school, Bohlale has been steadily turning her idea into a real product. She founded her own company, Mphahlele Alerts (Pty) Ltd, to focus on refining and eventually launching the Alerting Earpiece.
At the same time, she’s been studying towards a degree in Information Technology, determined to sharpen her skills and grow her impact. She also joined an innovation programme that supports young women developing solutions for their communities.
