According to Geeks Are Sexy as reported on Dec. 29, 2012 that a product is on the market, and Ludwick Marishane who is the inventor of Drybath , addresses the water crises in South Africa and has come up with a product to ease the impact its been having on the inhabitants.
South African water shortage in crisis
With a country that's about twice the size of Texas and has a population of around 49 million people, South Africa has been stricken with infectious diseases and thirst. People living in rural areas have to travel miles to cities to obtain water to bring back to town in water jugs or buckets.
The climate change in South Africa has also created. The lack of frequent rainfall that would come to region has become more infrequent. In Durban, dams are 20% lower than the beginning of 2010 and now cities are now imposing water restrictions on communities.
Though South Africa tends to boast about having the most clean water systems in the world, but due to lack of sanitation and the ability to get water to even reach rural communities, there is a threat of a rise in water borne diseases.
Ludwick Marishane, inventor of Drybath, saves the day
Marishane did a study to come up with an idea to be able to bathe without the use of water for sanitation He discovered that 2.5 billion people globally, do not have access to water for sanitation, also 450 million in Africa with the same problem, and finally, 5 million people in South Africa have no access to clean water either.
Upon realizing these shocking statistics, Marishane decided to take action. He had mentioned a rather common disease do to lack of simple bathing or face washing was Trachoma, which is a disease the eyes. Though rare in the United States, it is rather common in developing countries in South Africa.
So, Marishane had come up with Drywash, which is a bio-degradable and eliminates the strong, rubbing alcohol smell often found in regular hand gels. The idea came across Marishane's mind when he was living in a poor home. It occurred to his brother , during the winter time that bathing was such a problem for him when there is a lack of hot water.
"He was lazy and he happened to say, 'why doesn't somebody invent something that you can just put on your skin and you don't have to bathe'," said Marishane.
Thus, the idea of the Drybath was brought into being and now a reality.
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