Project Tujenge: Solar-powered water purification

In 2022, the University of Pretoria's "Team Tujenge" earned second place in the international student competition “Universities for Goal 13” for their small-scale, solar-powered water purification system using plasma technology. The competition is an annual partnership between SDSN and SIEMENS Gamesa. Team Tujenge (meaning “Let’s build” in Swahili) worked under the supervision of Dr Samuel Iwarere, Head of the UP Plasma Research Unit and Senior Lecturer in UP’s Department of Chemical Engineering. He is proud of how his postgraduate students have run with his ideas and have included the use of renewable solar-powered battery units into their design. “Many villages in South Africa and the rest of Africa do not have clean running water or access to electricity. Therefore, the addition of a solar energy unit to the design is important,” added project leader Victor Tshigo. Dr Iwarere hopes that the research done in the unit will ultimately help people across sub-Saharan Africa who struggle to access clean, drinkable water. “Our vision is to see a healthy and productive Africa, and to address some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.” Other members of the team included Samuel Babalola, Hilda Kyomuhimbo, and Amogelang Booysen.

University of Pretoria is a member of SDSN South Africa.