UZIMA

UZIMA is a Congolese water-access and circular economy initiative building an intelligent refill network to reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles and improve access to safe, affordable and cold drinking water. Our model combines institution-hosted refill stations, reusable aluminium bottles and a digital access and subscription system. We initially focus on universities and other high-traffic institutions, with the aim of expanding to schools, healthcare facilities, companies and public spaces. By shifting consumers from "buying and throwing away" to "refill, reuse and repeat," UZIMA seeks to make sustainable drinking water more accessible while reducing plastic waste. Our long-term vision is to build a scalable drinking-water infrastructure network across the Democratic Republic of Congo and, ultimately, Africa.