By Sandra Matendere
MUTASA — For decades, the rhythm of life for women in Mutasa District was dictated by the weight of a 20-liter jerrycan. The sunrise rarely found them in bed but instead, it met them on dusty footpaths walking kilometers toward dwindling boreholes and unprotected wells.
However, a transformative shift is occurring across the hills of Manicaland. As clean, piped water arrives closer to the doorstep, the “time poverty” that once shackled rural women is being replaced by a burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit.
The Heavy Toll of Time Poverty
The struggle in Mutasa reflects a global crisis. According to UN Water, women and girls globally spend an estimated 200 million hours every day simply collecting water. In sub-Saharan Africa, research by the World Bank indicates that reducing the distance to a water source can increase women’s participation in income-generating activities by as much as 12%.
In Zimbabwe, the 2023 Multi-Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) revealed that while access to basic water services has improved, the burden remains overwhelmingly gendered. In rural areas, women and girls are responsible for water collection in over 80% of households, often sacrificing education and economic labor to fulfill this basic need.
A Community-Led Revolution
In Mutasa, the tide began to turn through a collaborative infrastructure project spearheaded by the local Member of Parliament, Honourable Innocent Benza, alongside community leaders. By rehabilitating old piped schemes and extending systems into previously underserved villages, the project has effectively moved the “finish line” of the daily water trek from distant valleys to communal taps within the villages.
“Before piped water came, we would wake up at 4 a.m.” recalls Mrs Rosemary Makuza, a mother of four from Ward 17. “By the time we returned, we were too tired to work in the fields or even attend community meetings. We were existing, not producing.”
The Economic Ripple Effect: Poultry and Produce
With the hours reclaimed from fetching water, the women of Mutasa are pivoting toward high-value agriculture. Research from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) suggests that when women have the same access to resources (including time and water) as men, they can increase yields on their farms by 20% to 30%.
Mrs. Makuza is a living testament to these statistics. She has transitioned from subsistence living to running a small-scale commercial enterprise. “Now I have time to tend to my vegetable garden. I am selling tomatoes and leafy vegetables at the local shopping center. The money is helping me cover school fees,” she explains.
Beyond horticulture, the reliable water supply has sparked a boom in poultry production, an industry that is notoriously water-intensive. Community members report a surge in women producing eggs and broiler chickens for local markets.
This shift is critical, as regional studies by the African Development Bank show that every hour saved from water collection correlates with a significant increase in household caloric intake and financial independence for women.
Ownership Through Sweat Equity
What makes the Mutasa project sustainable is not just the hardware, but the “sweat equity” involved. Residents, men, women, and the youth joined hands to dig kilometers of trenches and provide local materials.
Experts in rural development often point to this model as the gold standard. According to a WaterAid study on sustainable WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) projects, community-led construction increases the lifespan of the infrastructure by nearly 40% because the beneficiaries feel a profound sense of ownership and are more likely to maintain the systems.
The Path Forward
The transformation in Mutasa District serves as a blueprint for rural development across Zimbabwe. It proves that water access is not merely a health intervention but a direct economic stimulus.
As Mrs Makuza tends to her vibrant green rows of vegetables, the heavy jerrycans of her past seem like a distant memory. In Mutasa, the sound of a turning tap is no longer just about hydration but the sound of a closing gender gap and the engine of a new rural economy.
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