Katherine Lucey: Founder and CEO, Solar Sister

By Caroline Cox

More than 1.5 billion people in the world live without access to electricity – 70 percent of them are women and girls. It’s called energy poverty. It’s responsible for poor air quality, burn injuries and up to 40 percent of family income spent in sub-Saharan Africa.

That’s where Katherine Lucey, a former investment banker, comes in – she literally helps shine light where it’s needed most. Her organization, Solar Sister, uses revenue from solar lamps to distribute clean energy technology to communities in need. They’ve obtained grants from ExxonMobil Women’s Economic Opportunity Initiative and Social Venture Partners Rhode Island. Since their inception in October 2009, they’ve raised more than $200,000 and provided light and connectivity to more than 17,000 people.

PINK: How does your organization improve the community?

KL: Using a direct sales model we provide African women with a start-up kit of inventory of portable solar lamps and mobile phone chargers, training and marketing support like branded flyers and ledgers for Solar Sister entrepreneurs. The women become their own bosses. Today, there are 107 Solar Sister Entrepreneurs working in 34 communities in 3 countries – Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan. They bring the benefit of solar power to more than 4360 African people.

PINK: What drives you to keep going when times are tough?

KL: When times are tough, give yourself away and lose yourself in purpose. And by doing that, you become connected to something that is so much larger than your own difficulties. You are lifted up by the grace of those around you. Solar Sister is like that for me. Because of the amazing people who have connected with the mission of bringing light, hope an opportunity to those in need, my own passion is multiplied a thousand times. In tough times I am lifted by the strength of a global sisterhood of empowered women.

PINK: What’s been your proudest moment?

KL:A woman named Rebecca lived in a small house with four rooms in rural Uganda. I met her when we installed a solar system that had three lights. She had to choose which rooms would get light. Rebecca put one of the lights in the ‘chicken’s room,’ because chickens only eat when they can see, and more hours of light meant healthier chickens. The chickens grew and laid more eggs, which she took to market. She earned money to buy a goat, a cow and vegetables for her garden. Soon Rebecca’s farm was thriving. When people asked how she did it, she would point to the light. Rebecca now runs a school on the farm that teaches more than 100 children about reading, writing, sustainable farming and solar electricity. Rebecca’s story showed me clean solar light, combined with a woman’s ingenuity, can transform lives..