From Sierra Leone, Focus Comes to MIT

Meet Kelvin Doe. A 15-year-old with no formal engineering training, Doe has built batteries and generators using trashed scrap metal and wiring. In his native Sierra Leone, he doubles as DJ Focus, where he broadcasts news and music via an RF transmitter he created.

Doe visited MIT as part of the International Development Initiative’s Visiting Practitioners Program, which allows outside innovators to collaborate with Institute faculty and researchers.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOLOLrUBRBY&w=450&h=253]

"People normally call me DJ Focus in my community. Because I believe if you focus, you can do an invention perfectly."

The video above, produced by THNKR, chronicles Doe's journey at MIT and has amassed more three million views on YouTube. Mark Feldmeier '96, SM '03, PhD '09, a research affiliate at the Media Lab, collaborated with Doe and is featured in the video.

Doe's visit was arranged by Sierra Leone native and doctoral student David Sengeh SM '12, who initially met Doe through the non-profit Innovate Salone. His U.S. travels included a trip to New York, where he spoke at the 2012 Maker Faire, and a visit with Harvard President Drew Faust.