Virtue Oboro founded her company Tiny Hearts in 2016, shortly after her child’s recovery from jaundice, and began developing the phototherapy cribs. As a visual designer, Oboro says she struggled with the medical technicalities. However, her husband had experience working with solar energy and was on hand to help. Oboro also worked with a paediatrician to make sure the device was safe and in line with current phototherapy guidelines. According to Amadi, one of the most effective phototherapy units currently used in Nigeria costs around $2,000, a steep sum for hospitals on a budget. But Crib A’Glow — produced in Nigeria using local materials — is able to save on added fees like import tax, and retails for $360 per unit. Additionally, because it’s portable and solar powered, the device can be used at home by parents living in remote areas with limited or inconsistent access to electricity. The Crib A’Glow innovation has received award grants including $50,000 from Johnson and Johnson’s Africa Innovation Award. Most recently, the device was selected as a finalist for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize 2022.
SOURCE: CNN