One Well at a time, Tzu Chi Restores Water Access Across Zimbabwe

Since 2013, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (BTCF) has built and repaired 3,182 water wells across Zimbabwe, easing the nation’s long-standing water crisis. This effort has curbed the spread of disease, improved food security, enhanced safety for women and children fetching water, and supported the quality of study for children. Tzu Chu’s efforts continue to bring hope, health and dignity to the communities in need across Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country with an area of approximately 390,700 square kilometers, and is home to around 15 million people. Once known as the "Breadbasket of Africa," the country used to be a major food producer, supplying grain to nations across the continent. In the early 2000s, the country experienced an economic collapse and hyperinflation. Combined with climate extremes, a lack of maintenance of water equipment in the wake of the economic collapse led to a severe lack of water, which has caused many livelihood issues.

Tzu Chi’s well construction and restoration project in Zimbabwe started in 2013 with the first well beginning operation on November 11, 2013, and accelerated during the severe El Ninoinduced droughts in 2015-2016 and 2023-2024, expanding across eight provinces. As of April, 2025, Tzu Chi has built 236 new wells and repaired 2,946 existing wells.

On April 2, 2025, volunteers went to the Maseweg district to repair a well that had been unusable for fifteen years. Local residents have had to venture an hour and a half away to Lake Bangala to fetch water, where they have often experienced attacks by hippos and crocodiles, resulting in many injuries and deaths.

One survivor of such an attack, Mr. Isaka, lost his right arm and was severely scarred on his left after a hippo attack while fetching water eight years ago, following the breakdown of the village well. Witnessing the completion of repairs of four wells near the lake brought visible emotion to Mr. Isaka. Many residents wept during the handover ceremony, knowing they no longer had to risk their lives for water. Mr. Isaka remarked that Tzu Chi had not only provided clean water, but also safeguarded the lives of generations.

Many water sources in Zimbabwe are poor or unsafe. During a visit, the well construction team saw how villagers shared contaminated water sources with livestock, including roadside puddles.

Contaminated water sources, such as ponds or nearly dried-up well, have triggered outbreaks of cholera and other infectious diseases, posing a serious health risk to communities. To fetch water, women must often travel long distances through difficult terrain, with no guarantee of safety. At times, children must help with the task, disrupting their education and well-being. The ongoing water shortage has also led to poor harvests, worsening the already severe food crisis.

Turning compassion into action, Tzu Chi’s five local well construction teams, totaling 150 team members, have taken action to repair wells one by one. Between this year and next, Tzu Chi plans to procure five well-drilling rigs, with two already purchased in 2025. With a new aspiration set for the year, the organization aims to construct an additional 2,500 wells in 2025 alone, bringing the total to over 5,600 and greatly expanding access to clean water across Zimbabwe.

In the Maseweg district, the joy of clean water moved residents to song, marking an end to years of struggle. Behind each constructed or renovated well is a story of hardship. Water is life, and the Tzu Chi well-construction team continues its race to provide it to more villages throughout Zimbabwe.

The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is a global non-profit humanitarian organization founded in 1966 by Buddhist nun Dharma Master Cheng Yen. Its missions of medicine, charity, education, and humanistic culture have brought relief to 136 countries. The heart of Tzu Chi is embedded in its name: in Chinese, “Tzu” means compassion and “Chi” relief, to relieve the suffering of those in need while creating a better world for all through compassion, love and hope. For more information, visit tzuchi.us. For additional information and media inquiries, welcome to contact us through this form.