Sofia Omari

Pioneering solar engineer who electrified rural Ethiopia through innovative community projects

Sofia Omari (b. 1975) is a visionary Ethiopian engineer whose solar energy initiatives have transformed access to electricity in remote regions of her country. Growing up in a village without electricity, she witnessed the challenges faced by her community and later earned her engineering degree from Addis Ababa University. In 1998, she founded Solar Hope Ethiopia, an organization that designs affordable solar systems tailored to rural needs. Her team developed the "Solar Suitcase" - a portable 120W system that provides lighting and phone charging for 10 households. By 2020, her projects had brought electricity to over 500,000 people in 150 villages. Omari's work has been featured in National Geographic's "Women of Impact" series and inspired similar initiatives across East Africa. She currently serves as UNDP renewable energy advisor, advocating for decentralized energy solutions in developing nations.