Bringing clean water to communities across Africa
Some of [Kusini Water]’s partnerships have been as a result of being a Fellow. The credibility it brings us has helped us to partner with American organizations and other Fellows in different parts of the continent.”
Murendeni Mafumo, 2014 Fellowship Alumnus, South Africa
Over one billion people worldwide lack access to a source of safe drinking water, according to UNICEF. For many communities, sanitation and filtration systems can be too expensive or too difficult to maintain. 2014 Fellowship Alumnus Murendeni Mafumo of South Africa aims to change that.
Murendeni is founder and CEO of Kusini Water, a social enterprise that builds water treatment systems from nanotechnology and macadamia nut shells. Kusini Water’s systems bring safe drinking water to people in rural, peri-urban and informal settlements throughout the African continent.
During his Leadership in Business Institute at Yale University in 2014, Murendeni learned about 3D printing and uses this technology today to create the water filtration systems Kusini Water uses in its projects. After his Fellowship, Kusini Water grew to reach over 50 communities and, in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in South Africa, has recruited 30 youth to join its water champions program.
Kusini Water partners with a number of multinational corporations, including DuPont, DHL, Red Bull, BMW, and more.
Recently, Murendeni was featured in the children’s book Inventors, Bright Minds and Other Science Heroes of South Africa for his innovative water filtration system. Learn more about the book.
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Chido Cleopatra Mpamba
2016 Fellowship Alumna, Zimbabwe