Teen Innovator, Bohlale Mphahlele, Develops Wearable Safety Device to Combat GBV

Summary: At just 16, South African teen innovator Bohlale Mphahlele created the “Alerting Earpiece,” a wearable safety device that discreetly alerts contacts and emergency services during attacks. The invention earned her national recognition and laid the foundation for her company, Mphahlele Alerts, as she continues working to make South Africa safer for women and children.

Bohlale Mphahlele, a South African tech innovator, created a pioneering device to address the country’s gender-based violence (GBV) crisis. 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.

The earpiece, designed to look like an ordinary piece of jewellery, is equipped with a hidden button that allows the wearer to instantly send alerts to pre-set contacts in case of danger. The device also discreetly captures photos of the attacker via a concealed camera and transmits the live location to trusted contacts and emergency services.

Bohlale’s innovation earned her a bronze medal at a national science expo. The invention was celebrated as a significant achievement not only for its ingenuity but also for its potential to save lives in a country struggling with high rates of GBV.

Since high school, she has continued to develop the Alerting Earpiece into a viable product. She founded Mphahlele Alerts (Pty) Ltd, a company dedicated to refining and launching the device. Alongside her entrepreneurial efforts, she is pursuing a degree in Information Technology and has joined an innovation programme supporting young women creating solutions for their communities.

At just 16, Bohlale Mphahlele demonstrated that courage is measured not by age but by action, transforming a simple idea into a mission with the potential to make South Africa safer for women and children.