Last week, a peculiar little box called ReadySet blew up on Kickstarter. Designed to provide electricity in the field and off the grid, ReadySet is a portable power station that can be charged via solar panels and other clean energy sources.

It blasted past its fundraising goal in just a day, but while it’s new here in the States, it’s been juicing phones, laptops and even lightbulbs by the thousands in Africa for more than a year. But it doesn’t just generate electricity — it also fuels the incomes of a growing number of entrepreneurs, farmers and mobile bankers. Whatever you do, don’t call it philanthropy. This little do-gooder is all about making money for the citizens of developing nations. The box doesn’t come cheap, but its return on investment can change lives.