Valentine is the Founder of OneGrid, an organisation focused on reducing energy poverty in rural communities across Nigeria by turning waste into affordable solar energy solutions.
The organisation repurposes discarded plastic bottles and lithium batteries to produce rechargeable solar lanterns for communities without access to electricity.
OneGrid began in 2022, Valentine started the project at the age of 17 while still a student, having grown up in a community without electricity. He relied on candles and kerosene lanterns to study at night, and after a candle nearly burned down his family home, he was inspired to create a safer solution. This led to the creation of OneGrid, which transforms plastic waste and discarded laptop batteries into affordable solar lanterns while operating women-led solar charging stations in rural communities.
To date, the project has distributed lanterns to more than 23,000 people across Nigeria. It has established two charging stations employing 10 women and serving approximately 5,000 users each month, creating income opportunities and strengthening livelihoods. The organisation has also trained more than 1,200 young people in solar entrepreneurship through community outreach programmes. Teachers have reported improvements in children’s access to lighting for studying and their academic performance, while the project has recycled more than 10,000 plastic bottles.
Valentine attended the 2024 Summit in Montréal, where he met his mentor, Rishi Dorai, now Managing Ambassador for Europe. The mentorship strengthened his leadership, helping him build a culture of action and stronger team relationships. Following the Summit, he accessed new opportunities, including international programmes, travel, and funding that have supported the continued growth of OneGrid.
“Being a One Young World Ambassador is my biggest motivation and one of the main reasons I continue to do what I do. If I could be selected to attend the Summit, why wouldn’t I believe in myself? It’s not about building the most advanced technologies; it’s about doing something small in a very big way.”
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