By Silenhlanhla Moyo
In Nyandeni Village 6, Matabeleland South, families once walked more than three kilometres to fetch water from rivers they knew were not safe to drink.
Cattle died during dry spells. Elderly residents struggled daily to reach functioning water points. Boreholes, when they existed, broke down and stayed broken.
So the villagers built their own water system.
Starting in 2024, residents of this small rural community in Zimbabwe pooled their money, dug their own trenches, bought their own pipes and tanks, and connected running water directly to homes that had never had it, without waiting for the government or an NGO to act.
From broken borehole to kitchen tap
The project began when villagers revived an old borehole drilled years earlier by development organisation Amalima, which had long fallen into disrepair. With the borehole restored and a pump purchased, water became available at the village orchard, but most households remained out of reach.
Villagers mobilised again. They raised more funds, dug trenches by hand, and purchased pipes, pumps and water storage tanks to push the system deeper into the community. When storage proved insufficient, they raised additional money for a second tank.
The system now allows families to connect water pipes directly to their properties. Some have taps next to their kitchens.
Nhlanhla Mpofu, a member of the uMzentshe Development Committee that coordinates the project, said the driving force was the daily indignity of water insecurity.
“People were relying on rivers and streams, and the water was not always safe. We also have elderly people in our community who were affected whenever boreholes broke down or water sources dried up,” he said.
“We wanted to restore dignity and improve livelihoods, because water is life, and access to it means freedom.”
“I grew up fetching water three kilometres away”
For younger residents, the project represents a break from a lifetime of hardship.
Justine Moyo, a youth representative on the Development Committee, said he had spent his childhood making the long daily walk to collect water from the river.
“Later, we received boreholes from the District Development Fund, which brought water closer, but frequent breakdowns made them unreliable,” he said.
The turning point came when a donor helped establish a water system for the village orchard. Villagers realised the supply could reach households too, and decided to fund the extension themselves.
“We came up with a plan to raise money as a community to buy the whole system, JoJo tanks, pipes, pumps and labour, so that every household could have water close by or within their yards,” Moyo said.
“It was not easy to struggle every day”
For older residents, the change has been most deeply felt.
Lakheli Nyathi, an elderly villager, said fetching water had become increasingly difficult as she aged, particularly during droughts and borehole breakdowns that could last weeks.
“As elderly people, it was not easy to struggle for water every day. But now this project has brought relief because water is much closer to our homes,” she said.
“We are thankful for the unity and cooperation shown by the community.”
Zimbabwe faces a deepening rural water crisis driven by recurrent droughts, ageing infrastructure and chronic underinvestment in rural services. Matabeleland, one of the country’s most arid regions, is among the hardest hit, with many communities dependent on boreholes that break down and wait months for repair.
The eNyandeni project has no government funding and no NGO backing. It is entirely self-financed and community-run.
Residents say they are not finished.
“We want to see every home with access to electricity and other basic needs in the coming years. We are driven by the spirit of eNyandeni, a community united and working together,” Moyo said.
This story was produced as part of the CITE Youth Network training program, which aims to empower young women in rural communities with digital skills, enhancing their ability to create and share community news.
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