Marishane, a 22-year-old student at the University of Cape Town student invented a product called DryBath, a clear gel applied to skin that does the work of water and soap.
The invention, which won Marishane the 2011 Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award, has wide applications in Africa and other parts of the developing world where basic hygiene is lacking and hundreds of millions of people do not have regular access to water.
The product differs from the anti-bacterial hand washes by eliminating the heavy alcohol smell. It creates an odourless, biodegradable cleansing film with moisturisers.
Marishane used his web-enabled mobile phone to search through Google and Wikipedia in pursuit of a formula. Six months later, he came up with DryBath and a obtained a patent.
The product is now manufactured commercially with clients including major global airlines for use on long-haul flights and governments for its soldiers in the field.
Marishane also sees it helping conserve water in the poorest parts of the world.
Darul Ihsan Media Desk