We've launched an exciting new project of our own! Introducing the Kickstarter app for iPhone!

Funded! This project successfully raised its funding goal on January 7, 2012.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!! Dreams do come true!

Update #21 · Jan 7, 2012 · comment

$ 48,389 by 785 WakaWaka Fans - 161% and 313 Kenian lives changed!

When we launched our Kickstarter campaign on Nov 8th we set a goal of $ 30,000 since that is what we needed to start up production. The Kickstarter average is around $ 7,000 so from that respect it was an ambitious goal, on the other hand, with our ambitious team, we need a lot more still to realize our dream to make a significant impact on the lives of 1.5 BILLION people. But that's why Kickstarter is called Kickstarter and that is precisely what it has done for WakaWaka!


Our campaign developed steadily, but at a rate at which we could come up just short of our funding goal. A week before Christmas we got a bit nervous and I ran out to buy a second hand Santa Suit to see whether Santa could make a difference. You could send in a little script which Santa would send you back as a video. We litteraly got ... zero ... Santa mails hahaha, however, since that moment we saw the daily average more than double! and it continued and went up as we got closer to the end of our campaign.


The past 3 weeks have been amazing! not just for us, but also for the students of the Mwamtsefu school in South East Kenya. We were able to raise a donation of 313 WakaWaka's for the 700 students at the school!!! This is something worth mentioning once again, these children don't need to study with toxic kerosene lights anylonger! it will improve their health and prevents serious burn injuries which happen to millions of kids world wide every year as a result of 'kerosene accidents'.


I expect that these 313 students will have brothers and sisters attending the school as well (we don't have the demographics, but sounds logical to me) so it's fair to expect that we may have been able to provide ALL families who attend this school with 1 WakaWaka per household! this means in effect that ALL the 700 students will be able to study safely at night and ... without paying for expensive lighting fuel. This will have a substantial impact on the Mwamtsefu community. I can't wait to see the look on the face of Willie who coordinates aid to this school... ;-)


When the time comes to bring your WakaWaka's to Kenya and hand them over, we'll make sure to send you some pictures!!! would be nice to get some pics 'in the dark' where WakaWaka lights up the whole school... what a sight that would be!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank ALL of you, all 785 of you!! We are all humbled by your generosity, your understanding of what WakaWaka is all about, your support in spreading the word, blogging, mailing, calling, facebooking (is that a word?) and Twittering! (OMG we got soooooo many tweets, you can’t believe it!)


Thanks to you WakaWaka is a success already before we have the first production units in hand.

We have received inquiries from over 30 countries world wide ranging from a library in Somalia and schools in Uganda all the way up to Unilever and Coca Cola ! There is no doubt WakaWaka will make a significant impact.


Soon you will hear from us asking for your address details for your orders and this won’t be the last time you heard from us…


Right now it’s time to celebrate: we raise our glasses to all of you! In China (where I am currently) in CapeTown (where Kim lives since last month) and the Netherlands (where Maurits and Geert are currently):


CONGRATULATIONS WAKAWAKA TEAM !!

YOU DID IT!!!!


From all of us a big big THANK YOU !!!

Warm wishes from all of us:
Maurits, Kim, Geert and Camille

787
Backers
$48,399
pledged of $30,000 goal
0
seconds to go

Funding period
Nov 8, 2011 - Jan 7, 2012 (60 days)

  • Pledge $1 or more

    32 backers

    We are happy with all support. Your dollar helps to make WAKAWAKA work. Because of your donation you are one step closer to being able to order your WAKAWAKA online soon. You are now officially one of the founders of WAKAWAKA and we hope you will spread the word.

    Estimated delivery: Jan 2012
  • Pledge $10 or more

    29 backers

    * FRIEND . . . . . . . Thanks so much for expressing your support. You will receive a surprise THANK YOU CARD from the WAKAWAKA founders. Your name will show up on our WAKAWAKAWALL of Friends

    Estimated delivery: Feb 2012
  • Pledge $30 or more

    27 backers

    +++ WAKAWAKA DONATION ..... thank you for your generosity! You have just donated a WAKAWAKA to a primary school in Kenya! Before the Kickstarter term ends, we will upload pictures of the school. Lights will be used primarily by teachers to check homework, but if we get enough, we can start donating them to students as well! We will send you pictures of this when this will take place. Let's Light Up Kenya together! (+ we´ll add your name on the Wall of Friends under ‘WAKAWAKA DONATION)

    Estimated delivery: May 2012
  • Pledge $35 or more

    286 backers

    ** WAKAWAKA FRIEND . . . . . . . Congratulations! You just pre-ordered your first WAKAWAKA solar LED lamp! Equipped with 4 set modes : super bright torch light – bright ambient light – excellent reading light and night safety light mode. 1 day sunlight will give you over 16 hours of reading light, making it the most efficient solar lamp available. WAKAWAKA will retail online for $ 40.00 but pre-order now at $ 35.00 and we’ll throw in a free WAKAWAKA lanyard as well! For shipments outside of US, please add $ 15.00 (+ we´ll add your name on the Wall of Friends as ‘WAKAWAKA FRIEND)

    Estimated delivery: Apr 2012
  • Pledge $50 or more

    132 backers

    *** WAKAWAKA FRIEND with BENEFITS . . . . . . On top of your WAKAWAKA you will receive the plug-in mobile phone battery charger as well! No matter where you are, with WAKAWAKA by your side you'll always have power during the day. Yes, you'll get your lanyard also. For this combi package you need to be a bit more patient though, so thanks in advance! For shipments outside of US, please add $ 15.00 (+ we´ll add your name on the Wall of Friends as ‘WAKAWAKA FRIEND with BENEFITS)

    Estimated delivery: Jul 2012
  • Pledge $65 or more

    81 backers

    +++++ WAKAWAKA ONE FOR ME ONE FOR ...? yes, that's the question, who will get the other WAKAWAKA? For sure it will be either a teacher or a student from a school in rural Kenya. Before the Kickstarter term ends, we will upload pictures of the school. We will send you pictures from the moment we hand out the WAKAWAKA's. (+ we´ll add your name on the Wall of Friends as +++++ WAKAWAKA ONE FOR ME ONE FOR ? )

    Estimated delivery: May 2012
  • Pledge $70 or more

    59 backers

    **** WAKAWAKA TWIN FRIEND . . . . . . . Yes, you guessed it right, now you have 2 WAKAWAKA´s! of course with 2 lanyards and delivered to your doorstep. For shipments outside of US, please add $ 25.00 (+ we´ll add your name on the Wall of Friends as ‘WAKAWAKA TWIN FRIEND' but we´ll only add it once ;-) )

    Estimated delivery: Apr 2012
  • Pledge $80 or more

    35 backers Limited (415 of 450 left)

    ***** WAKAWAKA (un)LIMITED FRIEND . . . . . . . For Kickstarters only! We need to know your name so we can personlize your WAKAWAKA! and add a number ranging from 50 to 500 (LIMITED EDITION). We´ll make you an official certificate showing you that these are the first WAKAWAKA's production models. Of course it comes with a WAKAWAKA 'ltd' lanyard. For shipments outside of US, please add $ 15.00 (+ we´ll add your name on the Wall of Friends as ‘WAKAWAKA (un)LIMITED FRIEND' )

    Estimated delivery: Apr 2012
  • Pledge $125 or more

    48 backers

    ****** WAKAWAKA CHRISTMAS FRIEND ..... Not only will you receive a WAKAWAKA & lanyard but ... you also DONATE 3 WAKAWAKA's to a primary school in Tanzania. Before the Kickstarter term ends, we will upload pictures of the school. Lights will be used primarily by teachers to check homework, but if we get enough, we can start donating them to students as well! We will send you pictures of this when this will take place. Let's Light Up Tanzania like a Christmas tree! For shipments outside of US, please add $ 15.00 (+ we´ll add your name on the Wall of Friends as ‘WAKAWAKA CHRISTMAS FRIEND)

    Estimated delivery: May 2012
  • Pledge $250 or more

    17 backers Limited (23 of 40 left)

    ****** WAKAWAKA EXCLUSIVE FRIEND . . . . . . You are a true friend and you understand why we do this. Thanks for your support! Your personalized WAKAWAKA will be numbered from 11 to 49, you get a certificate (and 'excl' lanyard, 'cause we know you want to show it off) and a soft pouch to keep your WAKAWAKA safe. Apart from that we will send you a personal video message from one of the founders! We will send you the mobile phone battery charger once it´s ready seperately Worldwide shipment included (+ we´ll add your name on the Wall of Friends as ‘WAKAWAKA EXCLUSIVE FRIEND' )

    Estimated delivery: Mar 2012
  • Pledge $1,000 or more

    2 backers Limited (8 of 10 left)

    ***** WAKAWAKA 5 STAR FRIEND FOR LIFE . . . . . . WOW! What can we say... of course you get 2 WAKAWAKA´s, 1 with a limited edition ranging from 1 to 10 and both of them with your name on it, sent you in an exclusive, luxurious case. We´ll throw in a few extra lanyards, so you can tease your friends and we would love to get in touch with you. Be ready to hear from us ... expressing our personal gratitude! We will send you the mobile phone battery charger once it´s ready seperately Worldwide shipment included (+ we´ll add your name in CAPITALS on the Wall of Friends as ‘***** WAKAWAKA 5 STAR FRIEND FOR LIFE' )

    Estimated delivery: Mar 2012