We are always thrilled to publish articles on companies that give back to the community and the newest company is SunMade Cheese Plate Solar Charger by YOLK. The SunMade Cheese plate is a unique portable solar panel plus various solar powered accessories that include; a charge flash light, lighter, radio with the sunlight. What makes this product unique is that they started the Solar Cow Project where they give partial profit from the SunMade to be used to build solar systems in East Africa to stop child labor.

How does each SunMade Cheese accessory contribute to the plate?

The SunMade Cheese plate accessories include a brie cheese USB port and connector for the milk bottle power bank, a swiss cheese speaker, a ricotta lantern, and a caciocavallo cheese plasma lighter. Below are the descriptions of each accessory and how they work together provided by SunMade Cheese.

• USBrie: The non- detachable brie cheese does double duty as a USB port and a customized power bank connector. Simply remove the brie covering to connect.
• Solar Milk: Connect the Solar Milkto any of the cheese modules to operate. The power bank features an on-off switch so you never have to worry about wasting power.
• Swiss Note: This bluetooth speaker and radio cleverly hides its backlit LED buttons in “eyes” of the cheese. The back panel of the speaker is magnetized and connects to an auxiliary custom solar panel or hand crank.
• Ricotta Torch: A flashlight or a mood light. The cheese module transforms into both when combined with the Solar Milk. Set the Ricotta Torch facing down and light sensors automatically switch it to mood light mode, and the light diffuses upwards through the handle. Press a button on the Solar Milkto adjust the intensity of the light.
• Cacio Kindler: This plasma lighter is 100% sustainable, wind-proof, odorless, flameless, and 100% rechargeable. Use it for candles, incense or even a campfire. A safety feature ensures that the lighter only operates when the buttons on the Solar Milkand the cheese itself are both engaged.
• The Suncow Shoulder Bag: The packaging that the Sunmade cheese plate is delivered in is not single-use, it is sustainable and it is meant to be reused. Customers can transform the package into a bag that you can attach your cheese plate to. Made of compressed cardboard, it’s light, and durable with an artificial Italian leather for the handle.

How does the SunMade Cheese Plate Solar Charger Work?*

The cheese plate collects energy from the sun and stores it in the milk bottle power bank. Embedded magnets and special connectors attach the milk bottle to each of the cheeses and bring them to life. Solar panel on one side, cheese plate on the other. The panel generates 5 volts at 1.2 amps which is enough power to charge a smartphone almost at the same speed as a conventional wall charger. Hang it from a window, a shoulder bag, a backpack or anywhere there is sun.

The solar panel itself does not store energy. Connect your smartphone or the power bank through USB cable or you can plug the Solar Milk into the panel and adjust to a 5, 30, or 60 degree angle to get optimal sun exposure.

The embedded magnets connect all of the modules to the power bank seamlessly. The Solar Plate, Caciocavallo Kindler, and Ricotta Torch are attracted to the Power Milk with magnets. The Swiss Note also utilizes magnetic power, but in a slightly different way. Insert the Power Milk into the Swiss. The magnets push the milk bottle battery out easily. The smart magnet design eliminates the need for complicated structures that are often prone to breakage. Using magnets is a smarter, more durable, and sustainable choice.

How can the Solar Cow Project and YOLK help stop the child labor? **

The Solar Cow project can be a powerful solution where electricity is essential due to the usage of cell phone but the cost of electricity is highly expensive compared to income and living expenses.  YOLK chose the East Africa based on those elements. Partial profit from the SunMade Cheese plate will be used to build solar system like Solar Cow in East Africa to stop child labor. By installing Solar Cow particularly at the school, it is devised as a way to reward children to go to school and their parents to send them.

When kids arrive at school in the morning they just attach their batteries where the cow’s udders would be. At the end of the school day they can leave with a full supply of valuable electricity. Free electricity can help parents since they are already spending 10~20% of their income to charge cell phone. They also have to waste 4-6 hours to go to the charging shop since it is located far away. In average, they charge cell phone 2~3 times a week. This is crazy and not sustainable for these families!

By creating the Solar Cow project, YOLK is able to chip away at each of these problems simultaneously. They believe they don’t have to be a large organization with deep pockets to affect change.

SunMade Cheese plate was recently launched on Kickstarter with rewards range from $35.00 to $215.00 (or more). To back their Kickstarter campaign or to purchase the SunMade Cheese please click here. Learn more about SunMade Cheese and Solar Cow at: https://kck.st/2MRrPex.

About YOLK:

YOLK has made quite a name in solar power and on Kickstarter. On top of the funding amount, it was featured in more than 300 publications, also won the CES innovation award in 2017. Crucially, YOLK delivered both products to backers on time and with quality seldom seen with Kickstarter projects.

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Source: YOLK, Kickstarter

*Direct cite from Kickstarter

**Direct cite from YOLK