Thato Kgatlhanye

South African entrepreneur revolutionizing sustainable energy access through innovative solar solutions

At just 22 years old, Thato Kgatlhanye co-founded Rethaka, a social enterprise creating solar-powered school bags for underprivileged children in Africa. Her Repurpose Schoolbags - made from recycled plastic bags and equipped with solar panels - provide both portable light for nighttime studying and reduce environmental waste.

Kgatlhanye's innovation directly addresses two critical issues: 1) Over 75% of sub-Saharan African students lack electricity access for evening studies (World Bank data). 2) South Africa generates 59 million plastic bags monthly, with only 3% being recycled. By combining these challenges into one solution, she created a circular economy model benefiting both education and environment.

Her work gained global recognition through the Anzisha Prize in 2014 and features in Forbes Africa 30 Under 30. Unlike traditional aid models, Kgatlhanye's approach empowers local communities through manufacturing jobs and maintains product affordability through corporate partnerships.

Recent expansions include solar-powered classrooms and digital learning tools integration. As she states: We're not just selling products - we're lighting pathways out of poverty through sustainable innovation.