npr:

An all-girls science club from San Fernando Senior High School near Los Angeles has designed a solar-powered tent meant to help homeless and displaced people around the world.

The tent — designed by a group of 12 high schoolers with the help of an organization called DIYgirls — uses solar power to charge electronic devices, provide light and sanitize itself via a system of antibacterial UV lights. And it folds into a backpack for easy travel.

The electronics cost about $40. The tent itself is made out of highly durable and water-resistant material. The idea for the tent came after some members of the team saw increased homelessness in their neighborhood.

“These girls saw a problem in their community,” Evelyn Gomez, an engineer and the executive director of DIYgirls, tells NPR’s Morning Edition. The group aims to get young girls from under-resourced areas interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art and math.

All-Girls Teen Engineering Team Creates A Solar-Powered Tent For Homeless People

Photo: Courtesy of DIYgirls