There has been a ton of lip service this year paid to the lack of women in technology. There have even been those who have questioned, “why do we even NEED more women, or diversity, in tech at all?”

For the answer, look no further than the four women engineers behind sOccket. A soccer ball with a magnetic slug inside it, that collects power as you kick it.

Fifteen minutes of play can generate three hours of light from the ball. In the developing world, 25% of children do not have electricity. It’s even worse in Africa, where up to 95% of the population lives without access to electricity, according to a 2006 World Bank Millennium Goals Report.

Enter sOccket. First created during an engineering class in 2008 where the four women met, their initial prototype led to a project that feeds all of their passions.

Their diverse backgrounds had a common thread. All understand well the need for clean energy in developing nations:

Best of all, Lin, Matthews, Silverman and Thakkar show no signs of slowing down:

And make sure to watch their recent interview on CNN!

If there was ever any doubt in your mind why it matters that tech and engineering become more diverse, let this be your answer. Thank you, team sOccket, for everything you’re doing.

References:
1. Popular Mechanics
2. Discover News
3. Official Soccket Site
4. NYTimes
5. Take Part
6. Fast Company