The most brilliant safety invention in years, and it was made by a 16-year-old from South Africa.
Bohlale Mphahlele was 16 years old when she invented a device that could change personal safety forever. Her invention, a wearable safety gadget called the “Alerting Earpiece,” was developed in 2020 when she was a 16-year-old student at SJ van der Merwe Technical High School in Limpopo (South Africa).
Growing up in Limpopo, she was surrounded by stories of violence against women and girls. Over 120,000 violent crimes against women and children are reported every year in the country, and many more go unreported. She decided to build something that could help.
Her invention, the Alerting Earpiece, looks like an ordinary earring, but hidden inside is a micro camera, a GPS tracker, and a silent panic system. One discreet press of a button captures photos of the attacker, sends the wearer’s live location, and alerts trusted contacts and police in real time. No sound, no attention drawn.
She won a bronze medal at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists (South Africa’s largest and longest-running school science fair, established in 1980 to promote science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and innovation (STEMI) among learners) and has since founded her own company, Mphahlele Alerts, to bring the device to market. She is currently studying IT and mentoring other young girls in tech.