Stories
May 28, 2026 • 2 min read
In Zimbabwe’s Gutu District, declining water sources left many families relying on unsafe and distant water points. Women and girls carried much of the burden, walking long distances each day to collect water for their households. With funding from the United States Government, GOAL, in partnership with LEAD and the Government of Zimbabwe, constructed the Jori Piped Water Scheme to improve access to safe water. Completed in 2026, the scheme now serves more than 20,000 people across 10 villages through a reliable piped water network closer to their homes.
Gutu is a district in the semi-arid Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe, where most families depend on small-scale farming for their livelihoods. Communities rely heavily on seasonal rainfall to grow crops, raise livestock, and support household income. In recent years, however, prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall patterns have made access to water increasingly difficult.
As traditional shallow wells dried up and hand pumps stopped functioning, many families were forced to travel long distances to collect water from unsafe open sources. Women and girls carried most of this burden, often waking before sunrise to walk for hours each day in search of water.
The impact extended beyond water access alone. Children missed school due to exhaustion or illness, households faced increased risks of waterborne diseases, and families struggled to maintain small gardens and livestock during extended dry periods.
An Investment in Lifelines
Recognizing that the community could no longer rely on fragile, localized water points, a robust intervention was set in motion. With funding from the United States government, GOAL Zimbabwe stepped in collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe and a partner organization, Linkages for Economic Advancement for the Disadvantaged (LEAD).
In implementing the project, GOAL didn’t just dig another borehole; it built an entire system. Through collaboration, the team constructed the Jori Piped Water Scheme, a sustainable, high-utility network engineered to withstand harsh drought conditions.
Completed in 2026, the pipeline successfully brought clean, safe, and pressurized water directly into the heart of the villages, establishing public tap stands within 30 meters of individual homesteads. Today, more than 20,000 people have improved access to safe water through the scheme.
Voices from the Community
Community members gathered to celebrate the completion of the project during the inauguration ceremony through songs, dance, and public testimonies reflecting on the changes the scheme has brought to their daily lives.
“For years, our days were spent walking long distances to collect unsafe water,” one community member shared during the event. “Now water is close to our homes. Our children have more time for school, and families can focus on other daily activities.”
Honorable Ezra Chadzamira, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Masvingo Province, also noted that the initiative complements the government’s ongoing efforts to improve access to safe and reliable water services in rural communities.
Looking Beyond Gutu
While the Jori Piped Water Scheme has improved access to safe water in Gutu, water insecurity remains a major challenge across many drought-affected areas of Zimbabwe. Communities in rural districts continue to face the effects of climate shocks, recurring drought, and limited infrastructure.
