By Ray Masuku
In Gokwe South, Zimbabwe, climate change is no longer an abstract global phenomenon that is debated in policy rooms or academic circles, but a lived reality. Residents walk longer and longer distances in search of water; what was once a routine chore has become a difficult journey that is redefining the rhythms of rural life and exposing the deep vulnerabilities of communities that are already living on the margins. For decades, the rural district of Gokwe South has been a region mostly shaped by agricultural production, with livelihoods tied closely to seasonal rainfall. Communities have historically relied heavily on predictable weather patterns to sustain their agriculture and domestic water needs (Newsday, 2021). Rivers usually flowed reliably throughout the greater part of the year, and shallow wells as well as boreholes provided sufficient water for communities.
However, today these systems are weak under the weight of a changing climate. Rainfall patterns are increasingly erratic in both seasonal timing and precipitation volume, with the rainy seasons now beginning later and ending sooner than expected, leading to prolonged dry spells across the Gokwe South district. As a result, water sources are now depleted long before the next rainy season arrives. Rivers that used to serve as lifelines have now shrunk into dry sandy channels with hand-pumped boreholes producing less water as groundwater levels continue to decline.
Moreover, for Gokwe South communities, the consequences of a shortage of water are immediate and severe, as each morning before sunrise, women and children begin a distant journey that has become their daily routine by carrying containers to the nearest functioning borehole. “The walk to the water source takes some hours, time that would otherwise be spent in doing school work and other economic activities,” Jekiseni Ndlovu, the head of a household in Gundwane village, said. The physical toll of the journey is evident in their slow, weary steps.
Miriam Mangena, a woman from Khutshwa village, captures the emotional strain of this shift. “There was a time when we could fetch water in less than an hour, but now, we plan our entire day around it, and if you do not wake up early, you risk finding a long queue or no water at all, which means you will have to wait for some hours to get it,” said Miriam Mangena.
Human and social impacts of water scarcity
This experience is not isolated, as across Gokwe South, households are adjusting to a new reality where access to water is uncertain and increasingly distant. The impact of water scarcity in the area is gendered; women bear the burden due to the entrenched social roles that assign them the primary responsibility for water collection and domestic chores. As distances to water sources increase, women are forced to dedicate much of their time to physically demanding distances at the expense of other activities and rest. Mr
Elliot Mafu, the village head for Nkani, echoes this when he says, “The burden is heavier on women because they are the ones who must ensure that there is water at home every time, no matter how far it is.” He adds that education is one of the most visible casualties, as school-going children often miss school or arrive late and exhausted, thereby undermining their academic performance and long-term prospects. “Over time, repeated absenteeism increases their likelihood of dropping out of school altogether, which leads to the perpetuation of the cycles of poverty and gender inequality,” Mafu explains.
Mrs Caroline Mabuya, a village head for Pejisa village, highlighted that the economic consequences are equally severe as time spent fetching water reduces opportunities for income-generating activities such as farming. “In a region that is already vulnerable to climatic shocks, this loss of productive time compounds household insecurities across communities of Gokwe South.”
Livestock, a key source of rural wealth, suffers from a shortage of water, thereby leading to reduced productivity or death. She added that there is a decline in crop yields because of erratic rainfall and limited access to water for supplementary irrigation. “To add on that, the health of people in the communities is deeply affected, especially when there is water scarcity, as families are forced to ration the available water by often prioritizing drinking and cooking over bathing and other hygiene issues,” she said. This increases the risk of diseases and sanitation-related illnesses.
Community initiatives
Communities in Gokwe South are demonstrating resilience through actively engaging in solutions that seek to bring water closer to households. Mr Jameson Sibanda, the councillor for Ward 17, pointed out that one of the most impactful interventions by communities before getting help from other stakeholders was to install a few solar-powered boreholes. These renewable energy boreholes are a more reliable and efficient alternative to traditional hand-pumped boreholes. “Newly installed solar-powered boreholes are transforming the daily lives in the close villages as families who once spent hours walking to other distant water points can now access water within their area,” Sibanda said.
“We used to walk very far, sometimes twice a day, but now, we have water here. It has changed everything in our time, our health, and even our farming,” said Elias Moyo, a water committee leader in the area. In addition, small-scale water harvesting systems are gaining traction as people are encouraged to collect and store rainwater, especially during the rainy season, using tanks, drums, and other improvised catchment systems. Moyo shares that although these methods cannot fully meet the needs of households, they provide an important buffer during dry periods and reduce high dependence on distant water sources.
Landscape of Zimbabwe’s water policy
The policy landscape that regulates water resources in Zimbabwe reflects a formal recognition of water as a fundamental human need, especially through the National Water Policy and the Zimbabwe National Water
Authority Act. In addition, recent policy discussions have emphasized climate resilience, decentralized water management, and the prioritization of vulnerable rural communities.
However, the translation of these commitments into tangible improvements in rural districts like Gokwe South remains uneven. Although the policy rhetoric supports equitable access and sustainable water systems, the implementation gaps continue due to limited financial resources, a seeming lack of commitment for follow-through, and weak coordination among stakeholders. Rural communities are experiencing delayed infrastructure development, inadequate maintenance of existing systems, and insufficient technical support. Emmaculate Hlabangana, a young woman from Gundwane village, said clearly, “We hear about these policies being talked about, but on the ground, we are still struggling to see any major change in our water situation.”
Local philanthropy in the communities of Gokwe South
Local philanthropy has emerged as a critical community actor in Gokwe South as community-based organizations, local businesses, and the diaspora community have increased investment in rural water infrastructure, especially climate-resilient systems such as the expansion of solar-powered boreholes and piped water schemes. Moreover, community development partners and local non-profit organizations continue to provide financial resources through the Mukando strategy (community-based savings system), for instance, which sets money aside for maintenance of water sources in the case of breakdowns.
Local philanthropy is also contributing to the training of technical experts to ensure that local water systems are both effective and sustainable. Further, local philanthropy has been heavily involved in the promotion of rain harvesting by households, through the provision of resources and harvesting systems such as storage tanks, gutters, and collection containers. In this way, local philanthropy has been acting as a bridge between communities and big development actors.
But they too face challenges such as limited financial resources, a lack of clear coordination among stakeholders, and the reliance on diaspora voluntary contributions that are sometimes not adequate to sustain climate-resilient infrastructure. These are worsened by the gap between national water policies and delayed resource allocation. Some of the ways that local giving can be strengthened are by getting more consistent funding, as well as continuing to engage with local communities and traditional leadership structures, in order to encourage culturally informed adaptation.
The story of Gokwe South is a call to action that clearly reveals how climate change has long been reshaping rural life in profound ways. The impacts will undoubtedly intensify if there are no coordinated and sustained responses. But one can note that the challenge offers an opportunity to invest in local solutions that address the shortage of water in order to restore dignity, opportunity, and hope for communities. In this long walk for water, there is both hardship and resilience, a powerful reminder that even in the face of challenges, communities can still adapt, innovate, and endure.