MORE than 20 000 villagers in Gutu District, Masvingo Province, are set to benefit from improved access to safe and reliable water following the completion of the Jori Piped Water Scheme.
The project, implemented under the Tsungai Project, is a United States (US) government-funded emergency intervention run by Linkages for Economic Advancement of the Disadvantaged (LEAD) and GOAL.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Thursday, Ezra Chadzamira, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Masvingo Province, said the intervention complements government efforts to improve access to safe and reliable water in rural communities.
The ceremony was held in ward 13, Mazuru Village.
“This initiative strengthens service delivery while supporting household well-being, food security, and dignity, particularly for women and children in drought-affected areas,” Chadzamira said in remarks delivered on his behalf by permanent secretary Addmore Pazvakavambwa.
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As part of the project, villagers received water storage tanks and piping infrastructure, while water collection points were established closer to homesteads to improve access to clean water.
Livestock troughs were also constructed near homes, reducing the long distances previously travelled by villagers and their animals in search of water.
A representative of the US embassy in Harare, Josephine Francisco, said the project marked a significant step toward improving water access in drought-prone communities.
“We are not just commissioning pipes, tanks, and taps; we are celebrating a lifeline,” she said.
Francisco added that the scheme would enhance household well-being and strengthen drought mitigation programmes.
“By combining clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and food security, we have set communities on a pathway to success so that they can protect their livelihoods and become more self-reliant,” she said.
Francisco also noted that the scheme would reduce the time and distance spent collecting water, particularly for women and children.
“For women and children, this project means hours saved and kilometres no longer walked. It means dignity, safety, and more time for education and economic pursuits,” she said.
To date, the Tsungai Project has reached 4 500 households and is expected to cover 10 wards in Gutu District.
Since 2020, the United States has supported the drilling of more than 1 000 boreholes across Zimbabwe, improving access to clean water for over 200 000 rural residents.