Entrepreneur's tech tonic reverses water crisis in Kenya

During his numerous visits to African households, he learned that water sourced from boreholes had high concentrations of harmful elements, such as fluoride. He realized the need to explore cost-effective and locally appropriate technology to treat this water and minimize the risks of fluorosis and other waterborne ailments.

Zhong says iClear's business model is unique because it is anchored on leasing out water purifiers equipped with reverse osmosis technology to clients instead of selling the entire equipment, the cost of which can be prohibitive.

He points out that the purifiers sold in the local market cost up to 50,000 shillings ($423) to 80,000 shillings per piece, and people are required to buy filters once every six months. Leasing them, however, cuts down expenses incurred by poorer households to treat contaminated water.

Zhong says his clients only need to pay an annual fee of 10,000 shillings and an installation charge of 2,000 shillings.

The lease also offers free door-to-door service twice a year, including filter replacement, water pipe disinfection and equipment maintenance. His company further encourages households with humble budgets to pay the annual fee in installments.

At present, iClear has chosen Kenya to pilot its water purifier leasing model, but venturing into other African countries is in the pipeline, says Zhong. He adds that more than 200 local families, who have tested the equipment, have given positive feedback.

When he paid a visit to a family in Nakuru, about 200 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, the hostess－a mother of three－told him about her heartwarming experience with iClear purifiers. She told him she no longer worried about her children getting sick because now they drank clean water.

The purifiers of iClear are manufactured in China and have a life span of five to 10 years if properly maintained, says Zhong. He says his marketing team has zeroed in on Nairobi's densely populated working-class districts to promote the purifiers, and he hopes to reach 1 million families soon.

"We intend to establish an assembly plant for our water purifying machines in Kenya and make them affordable to customers," he adds.