Engera UK – Who they are and what they do

Engera UK is a registered charity founded in 2014, working to improve access to quality primary healthcare for women and children in rural Ethiopia, with a particular focus on the Gurage Zone. It operates in close collaboration with its sister organisations, Engera Italy and Engera USA, ensuring a coordinated and consistent approach across all projects.

Through its programmes, the organisation supports a network of health centres and a primary hospital, providing essential healthcare services to a large rural population. It works closely with local healthcare providers and regional health authorities to strengthen infrastructure, deliver medical training, and support day-to-day patient care.

Its approach focuses on building the capacity of local health systems so that services can function reliably and independently over time. Alongside clinical support, Engera UK promotes community engagement through health education and awareness activities, helping families recognise early signs of illness, adopt preventive practices, and access care promptly.

By combining infrastructure improvements, renewable energy solutions, training, and community engagement, Engera UK aims to improve health outcomes while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the services it supports.

What NEF does with Engera UK 

In 2026, Next Energy Foundation is supporting Engera UK to install a 9.81 kWp solar power system at Shebraber Health Centre in Gurage. This investment will provide a reliable and sustainable source of electricity for essential healthcare services, addressing long‑standing challenges caused by frequent power outages.

The project aims to ensure continuous access to clean energy, improving the safety, quality, and continuity of care for the more than 60,000 people who rely on the facility each year.

Key components include:

• Installation of a 9.81 kWp solar system by Power Ethiopia, providing a stable and renewable source of electricity
• Powering essential medical equipment, including maternity and diagnostic services, so that critical procedures can continue without interruption
• Reliable refrigeration for vaccines, ensuring safe storage and reducing the risk of spoilage
• Training health‑centre staff and members of the community in basic system use and maintenance, strengthening local capacity and ensuring long‑term sustainability

March 2026 Update: As of March 2026, the installation of the 9.81 kWp solar power system at Shebraber Health Centre has been successfully completed, and the system is now fully operational. The centre is already benefiting from reliable, renewable electricity, allowing healthcare services to run safely and continuously, including during the night and periods of grid outage.

The availability of stable power is proving transformational for both patients and healthcare staff. Essential services such as maternity care, emergency treatment, diagnostics, lighting and vaccine refrigeration can now operate without interruption, significantly improving the safety, quality and dignity of care. Staff report improved working conditions, particularly during night‑time deliveries and emergencies, while patients benefit from more dependable access to services.

Alongside the installation, health‑centre staff and community representatives have received hands‑on training in system operation, monitoring and basic maintenance, strengthening local capacity and ensuring the long‑term sustainability of the intervention. By reducing dependence on diesel generators, the project is also lowering operating costs and emissions, freeing up resources for frontline healthcare.

Serving nearly 19,000 patients each year, within a wider catchment of over 60,000 people, Shebraber Health Centre is a critical lifeline for remote rural communities. This completed intervention not only addresses long‑standing energy challenges, but also future‑proofs the facility, increasing its resilience at a time of worsening fuel shortages and infrastructure constraints.