Afrigadget reports on the development of an inexpensive solar cellphone charger as one solution to the "challenge of mobile phone charging in off grid Africa." The cost of such chargers is falling from around $100 two years ago, to $20 today. An inexpensive charger "is not only quite handy to have, but it is empowering and well suited for off-grid rural areas in Africa, California or anywhere with sunlight for that matter."

Ken Banks of Kinwankja.net elaborates:

In some rural areas, where the lack of reliable mains power might be the difference between making it worth owning a mobile or not, a small solar panel such as this could be a deal clincher. Of course, solar energy has been touted as a solution for charging mobile devices for years now, but what's interesting about this is the cost. Suddenly, it actually seems possible. And by possible, what I really mean is affordable.

My basic, no-frills ZTE phone comes in at around $22 new, putting most rival entry level handsets in the shade. And the solar panel to charge it? Add another $20. So, suddenly, for about $42 we have a works-out-of-the- box rural mobile solution. (Just one short year ago the handset alone would have come in at around that). What's more, the owner of the solar charger could earn a little extra income running a small charging business on the side. Maybe one day these panels will come as standard in Village Phone programs around the world, if they're not already.