As Mahary’s modeling career took her around the world, her global perspective led her to her first major career pivot as she witnessed firsthand the many communities experiencing energy poverty. After an
immersive, eye-opening trip to her parents' hometown, Eritrea, Mahary made the decision to start the nonprofit organization Project Tsehighi, which translates to “sun” in Tigrinya, one of Eritrea’s national languages. Project Tsehighi provides sustainable solutions for communities with limited resources by decreasing inaccessibility and increasing sustainability by providing renewable energy solutions, like solar panels. Mahary’s mission is to use her voice to bring awareness to marginalized communities’ work and ultimately make a difference in their lives. “My whole approach to life and everything that I do has always been to equal out the playing field, and it’s always been important to me to leverage my platform to do that,” Mahary adds.