For members of Tumasi Village in Ward 11, Matobo District, access to water has been transformed from a physically demanding daily task into a safer and more convenient experience. The change was made possible through the Women Leadership Empowerment and Advocacy Program (WE-LEAP), which supported the installation of a solar-powered piped water system at the Tjedza Farmer Field School.
The initiative initially targeted 25 members of the Tjedza Farmer Field School, which was established under the WE-LEAP programme. The programme built on an existing community borehole that previously relied on a manual bush pump. While the borehole provided an important source of water, pumping was physically demanding, particularly for elderly community members and children.
Through the programme, the existing borehole was upgraded to a solar-powered piped water system, including a 5,000-litre water tank for community use and a 10,000-litre tank dedicated to the garden. This investment has significantly improved access to water for both household and agricultural purposes.
“We no longer struggle to pump water. We simply open the tap and get water,” shared an elderly community member, describing how the intervention has reduced the physical burden associated with collecting water.
The system has particularly benefited elderly people, who previously had to manually pump water. It has also created a safer environment for children by reducing the need for young children to operate the bush pump or spend time around potentially unsafe water sources.
Benefits Beyond the Target Group
Although the intervention directly targeted 25 Farmer Field School members, its benefits have extended far beyond the initial beneficiaries. The garden and water system are estimated to indirectly benefit more than 3,000 people, including households from neighbouring Wards 9 and 10 who access produce from the garden and, in some cases, use the water for household purposes.
The improved water supply has also strengthened the productivity and sustainability of the Tjedza garden. Reliable water availability enables members to maintain agricultural production while contributing to improved food and nutrition security and household livelihoods.
Water for People and Livestock
The intervention has also addressed an important challenge affecting livestock owners in the community. The solar-piped system includes an automatic livestock watering trough, ensuring that animals can access water without community members having to manually pump water for them.
This is particularly important for livestock owners from Tumasi and neighbouring Wards 9 and 10. Previously, community members depended heavily on a nearby dam, which does not retain sufficient water throughout the year. As water levels declined, livestock were forced to enter muddy areas to access the remaining water, creating risks of animals becoming stuck and making watering more difficult.
The automatic watering system has therefore reduced the labour required to provide water to livestock while improving the safety and convenience of livestock watering.
