- Yvette Ishimwe (Rwanda): Founder and CEO of Iriba Water Group, Ishimwe established the company in 2017 to provide safe drinking water to underserved communities in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Her innovative solutions, including water kiosks and filtration systems, have benefited over 300,000 people. She has received several accolades, such as the Queen’s Young Leader Award in 2017 and being named among Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 in 2023.
- Beth Koigi (Kenya): Koigi is the founder of Majik Water, a company that harvests drinking water from the air to serve communities lacking access to clean water. The technology operates similarly to dehumidifiers, condensing water vapor into liquid form. Majik Water won the EDF Pulse Award Africa in 2017, and Koigi was shortlisted for the Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize in 2019.
- Saran Kaba Jones (Liberia): As the founder and CEO of FACE Africa, Jones focuses on strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Her leadership has led to numerous projects improving access to clean water and sanitation facilities. She was recognized as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2013 and a TIME Magazine Next Generation Leader in 2016.
- Grace Nakibaala (Uganda): Nakibaala is an innovator known for creating the PedalTap, a foot-operated water-dispensing device designed to reduce the spread of infectious diseases and conserve water. She also developed the EpiTent, a semi-permanent structure used during humanitarian emergencies. Nakibaala’s work has earned her recognition, including winning the Johnson & Johnson Africa Innovation Challenge in 2017.
- Godliver Businge (Uganda): Businge serves as the head technology trainer for the Global Women’s Water Initiative, where she educates women and youth in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda on building water access and conservation technologies. Her training includes constructing bio-sand filters and water tanks, empowering communities to improve their water and sanitation conditions.
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