Online Reporter
Prosper Ndlovu in Gaborone, Botswana
A ZIMBABWEAN innovator is turning air into clean drinking water — a game-changing invention that could quench Africa’s thirst as climate change bites harder.
Jimson Chingore, a Zimbabwean tech enthusiast based in South Africa, showcased his company’s futuristic clean-water system at the ongoing Global Expo Botswana 2025. His firm, Elemen Tec, is pioneering atmospheric water harvesting and solar distillation systems, both designed to make clean water accessible in even the driest corners of the continent.
“This model extracts liquid water from the air’s moisture using active refrigeration. We cool air below its dew point and collect pure water,” Chingore told Zimpapers proudly.
Dubbed a “decentralised miracle,” the technology offers a lifeline for communities living off-grid or in arid regions. Chingore said their solar distillation model also helps purify salty or contaminated water, perfect for rural communities, mines, and corporates that struggle with treatment capacity.
Twenty Zimbabwean companies are exhibiting at the Gaborone expo, showcasing everything from green energy to smart tech, reflecting the country’s growing innovation footprint in Africa.
Experts say Africa’s clean water crisis is dire as one in three Africans lacks access to safe drinking water. The problem is worsened by climate change, weak infrastructure, poor governance, and rapid population growth.
“These challenges hit hardest on women and girls who walk long distances daily to fetch water, and they slow down economic development,” Chingore noted.
With innovators like him leading the charge, however, hope is bubbling again, literally from thin air.
