Mujahed bin Jarallah

Saudi innovator bringing digital education to remote regions through solar-powered schools

Mujahed bin Jarallah (b.1982) is a Saudi Arabian engineer and educator whose solar-powered mobile schools have transformed education access in remote areas. After earning an engineering degree from King Fahd University, he witnessed the challenges of educating children in nomadic Bedouin communities. In 2008 he founded Solar Education Initiative, designing solar-powered shipping-container classrooms with satellite internet. These mobile units travel to desert regions, providing girls and boys equal access to STEM education. The program now operates in 15 Saudi provinces and inspired similar projects in Mauritania and Mali. Bin Jarallah's TEDx talk "Lighting the Desert with Knowledge" highlights his vision of combining renewable energy with educational equity. His work was recognized by the UN's 2021 Education Innovation Award.