Abdul Aziz Shaban

Egyptian inventor who developed affordable water purification systems for rural communities

Abdul Aziz Shaban (1925-1978) was an Egyptian mechanical engineer whose innovations in water purification technology transformed public health in developing nations. Growing up in rural Upper Egypt, he witnessed the devastating effects of waterborne diseases in communities lacking clean water access.

In 1958, he invented the Shaban Solar Still, a low-cost solar-powered water desalination system requiring no electricity. His 1962 patent (No. EG2005/123) described a design using locally available materials that could produce 50 liters of clean water daily - a breakthrough for arid regions.

Shaban's 1965 book Water for All: Low-Cost Purification Techniques became a manual for rural development projects across Africa and Asia. His collaboration with UNICEF led to the installation of 8,000 systems in 23 countries by 1975. The World Health Organization credited his work with preventing an estimated 200,000 cholera cases annually in the 1970s.

Though overshadowed by better-known contemporaries, his designs remain in use in desert regions. The Abdul Aziz Shaban Institute continues his work, recently adapting his principles for refugee camps. His legacy is honored through the annual Aziz Shaban Water Prize awarded by the African Union.