Cool vaccines in rural Kenya: solar solution has been awarded by UN

In May 2026, Tabitha Awuor Amollo is spending some weeks as a guest scientist at HZB, analysing perovskite thin films at BESSY II. The Kenyan physicist from Egerton University, Nairobi, was recently recognised for her achievements in research and teaching. For the development of a solar-powered refrigeration system for use in rural health centres, she  has been awarded the 2026 Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)-Elsevier Foundation Award. An interview on exceptional projects and daily struggles of a scientist. Questions were asked by Antonia Rötger.

Hi Tabitha! Congratulations on this wonderful award. How did you come up with this idea alongside your own research work?

Africa is rich in resources, but still quite poor in terms of access to energy. In Kenya for example, the grid is somehow stable, but still most rural villages lack electricity. This is something I was concerned about. For example, community health centers in remote (off-grid) parts of Kenya, do great work with the people but lack access to electricity. They need a solution to store vaccines and medicines. I wanted to create a useful solution, together with the local stakeholders. To finance this, I applied for research grants and was successful in the Future Africa Research Leadership Fellowship (FAR-LeaF) program funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

What were the first steps?

I had to work with somebody from the local community even to be allowed to come in and do the project there. Then I went and saw the need, right? This village is really remote, travel time is more than one day from Nairobi. We discussed with health workers about the situation. And we found out, that apart from not being able to refrigerate their medicines and vaccines, they also needed a power source to charge their cell phones and a radio, so they get timely information and can coordinate with other health centres. 

And then you came up with a solution?

Yes, after these discussions, we came up with the idea of a fridge that is solar powered and provides also a battery to store electricity. We assembled it: One compact system that would offer refrigeration, and a source to charge their phones, or to power their radios. And then we installed it and trained health workers in that community on how to operate it.

How will this award help you with your further work?

You know running a lab always requires a budget. Day to day you need to buy consumables, and there must always be a grant running, to sustain the lab, to sustain research. And I have students who need support here and there with their projects. 

Is the visibility also a good thing?

Yes, it might create awareness in the larger society that research is helping the communities. And it might motivate the students as well: They see the real-world application of what they are doing. This is great motivation. 

You are continuing to collaborate with HZB. What are your goals here?

I am actually here and work for some weeks with the team of Professor Eva Unger. I produce perovskite samples which I will analyse at two different beamlines of BESSY II. One of my students was participating in the Photon School and is also going to do his research project at HZB. Such opportunities are valuable to us. Because we usually send our samples out of the country for analysis. This is not only inconvenient but also unsuitable for sensitive materials which might degrade in the process. For some kinds of characterisation we must wait for opportunities like in HZB. 

What helps you to be resilient despite constant constraints of money?

I'd say it's the little things that count. Just keeping on trying out various opportunities, submitting proposals for grant calls. But then, we must also make good use of what we have. In the face of constraints, we must be innovative, we must think of alternatives. It's not easy, especially when I was establishing a lab. It was very difficult. So it's the passion for research that keeps me going. And the research networks help a lot. 

Thank you for this conversation.

On the scientist:

Dr Tabitha A. Amollo holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She is currently a faculty member of Egerton University, Kenya, where she has served as the chairperson of the Department of Physics. Her research interests include photovoltaics, plasma technology, nanomaterials and nanotechnology, and thermoelectricity. Broadly, her research focuses on materials and device engineering for energy conversion devices, and in advancing thin film technology. She is the leader of the materials physics research group at Egerton University and trains students on research skills needed to tackle the societal challenges. She is passionate about mentoring and training young researchers, and advocates for inclusivity in STEM.