Published in September 2024

The positive impact of sand dam projects is not just felt by individual people, but across whole families and communities. Our Zimbabwean partners, The Dabane Trust, spoke to a community member in this story from the Zhokwe community, finding an excellent example of how such life changing impact is felt.

Simelele Ngulube is a 50-year-old woman from the Zhokwe village in southern Zimbabwe. The Zhokwe community have recently completed construction of a sand dam nearby their village, helping to address the challenge of water scarcity that had plagued the area for so many years.

Before the sand dam project in Zhokwe began, Simelele tells us about how water scarcity would affect everyday life: "I used to face daily struggles with water shortages as it was always scarce. I had to travel long distances in search of water and faced long queues at the water points when I arrived. When the river dried up, I had to carefully ration the amount of water my family used for bathing and other household uses."

The lack of an adequate water supply has a profound impact on health and sanitation in communities like Zhokwe. As water supplies dwindle, people often have to make the difficult decision to use less water for washing and bathing. This can lead to the spread of harmful diseases and have serious consequences for people's health.

The daily ordeal of collecting water is already hard work, but Simelele explained that the time she spent on this task would also impact on her other daily responsibilities. Spending hours collecting water would leave her with little time or energy to spend on household activities and tending to her farm.

Thankfully, Simelele reports that the construction of the sand dam, no longer having to spend hours queueing for water, has brought about positive changes not only for her family, but for the entire community. 

She also shares that the availability of water has improved the health and hygiene of her family because they no longer have to miss out on washing and bathing, since they now have a plentiful supply of clean water from their sand dam.

With improved access to water, Simelele says she can now engage in income-generating activities that were previously hindered by water scarcity. She shared that she plans to start expanding her farming soon, growing new vegetables with the aim of improving her family's diet and developing her livelihood.

Simelele can now enjoy the rewards of her hard work in helping to construct the sand dam. Reflecting on this change, she summarised her feelings about the project: 

"I am witnessing the transformative impact the project has brought to my daily life, as I no longer have to face the daily struggles and challenges that water scarcity brought upon me. I can now focus on improving my livelihood and enjoying a more comfortable and sustainable way of life."

Simelele Ngulube, member of the Zhokwe community, Zimbabwe.

The sand dam has not only provided immediate relief from water scarcity, but it has also laid the foundation for long-term sustainability. Sand dams can remain functional for upwards of 60 years, so will continue to provide a reliable source of clean water for generations to come.

Simelele concludes her discussion with us by emphasising how her local sand dam project has been a life-changing experience for her family. It has improved their quality of life, empowered them to pursue new opportunities, and given them hope for a brighter future.

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