Irene Mutungi

Kenyan entrepreneur revolutionizing rural energy access through solar innovations

Irene Mutungi is a Kenyan social entrepreneur and founder of Gevity Energy, a company dedicated to providing affordable solar solutions to off-grid communities. Born in 1985 in Nairobi, her work has brought clean energy to over 100,000 households in East Africa. By creating innovative financing models like the Pay-As-You-Go solar systems, she eliminated upfront costs that previously barred rural populations from accessing modern energy. Her Green Energy Africa initiative has trained 3,000+ technicians, 60% of whom are women.

Mutungi's impact extends beyond energy access - her solar installations reduce deforestation by replacing kerosene lamps and wood fires. A 2017 study showed her systems cut CO2 emissions by 250,000 tons annually. Her World Economic Forum profile highlighted her as a key figure in Africa's energy transition. In 2019, she launched Solar Sisters Network, connecting 500+ female entrepreneurs across 8 countries to distribute clean energy products. Her work was featured in NPR's Goats & Soda series about global energy innovators.