Thandiwe Chinyama

South African engineer deploying solar solutions to electrify rural healthcare facilities

Thandiwe Muriel Chinyama (b. 1990) is transforming healthcare access in sub-Saharan Africa through her company Solar Health Africa. Starting in 2020, she designed modular solar systems specifically tailored for rural clinics lacking grid connections. Her "SunCare Units" combine solar panels, battery storage, and medical refrigeration into portable systems, currently powering 147 clinics across 6 countries. This innovation directly saved 3,200 newborn lives in 2022 by ensuring vaccine cold chains remained intact during power outages.

Chinyama's work earned the 2023 Africa Energy Prize and inspired similar initiatives in Bangladesh and Peru. She developed the Solar Healthcare Technician Program, training 850 local technicians through partnerships with UNICEF. Her memoir Lighting the Dark Corners (2024) details her journey from engineering student to social entrepreneur, advocating for gender equity in STEM fields through her She Innovates mentorship network.