Every October, Gilbert Tuhabonye gathers with friends and supporters in Austin to mark the anniversary of the day his life changed forever, and to honor his second chance at life through a mission of hope, healing, and clean water.
Photo by Angela Wang
On October 21, 1993, Gilbert Tuhabonye ran for his life, escaping a massacre in his homeland of Burundi. Each year, he gathers with friends and supporters for his Anniversary Walk to honor his second chance at life and remember those who did not survive.
Gilbert was a high school senior and national champion runner when violence between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups erupted in his homeland of Burundi. Gilbert, along with more than 100 Tutsi classmates and teachers, was forced into a room where they were beaten and set on fire. Gilbert escaped by running to freedom, surviving this horrific tragedy.
Photo by Angela Wang
To honor the anniversary of that day and raise awareness of the challenges families in Burundi face in accessing clean water, Gilbert gathers with friends and supporters each year to carry jugs of water from Lady Bird Lake to the Texas State Capitol. The walk serves as a reminder of the long distances many people in Burundi must travel each day to collect water, often from unsafe sources, and the profound difference that access to clean water can make.
On Friday, October 16, friends, family, and supporters gathered for Gilbert's annual Anniversary Walk, a tradition honoring his survival and remembering the lives lost on October 21, 1993. Their presence was a heartfelt expression of friendship and support for someone who has touched so many lives in Austin and beyond. We're grateful to everyone who walked alongside Gilbert and continues to be inspired by his commitment to bringing clean water to families in his homeland of Burundi.
About Gilbert Tuhabonye Today & the Gazelle Foundation
Photo by Angela Wang
Today, Gilbert is a retired professional runner, philanthropist, author, motivational speaker, and community leader in Austin, where he lives with his wife, Triphine, and their two daughters, Emma and Grace. He is also the founder of Gilbert's Gazelles, one of Austin's largest running training groups, the head cross country and track coach at St. Andrew's Episcopal School, and a co-founder of the Gazelle Foundation, which brings clean water to communities in his homeland of Burundi.
Inspired by Gilbert's vision, the Gazelle Foundation has built a proven track record of bringing sustainable clean water infrastructure to rural Burundi. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, more than 152,000 people now have access to clean water through the Foundation's work.
Photo by Angela Wang
Clean water is foundational to community health, education, and economic opportunity. The Gazelle Foundation works with local communities to build gravity-fed water systems, hiring local workers and sourcing materials locally whenever possible. Once completed, each system is handed over to the community it serves, providing a lasting source of clean water.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined Gilbert for this year’s Anniversary Walk on Friday, October 16. Your presence was a meaningful show of friendship and support for Gilbert, whose life and commitment to bringing clean water to Burundi continue to inspire so many.
Every Gazelle Foundation water system provides clean water free of charge to community members, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or background. This commitment to serving everyone reflects the Foundation's belief that access to clean water can help foster dignity, opportunity, and lasting peace.
By focusing its work in Burundi and partnering with experienced local teams, the Gazelle Foundation is able to build cost-effective water systems and maintain close relationships with the communities it serves.
Photo, by Holly Reed
Inspired by Gilbert's Story?
Gilbert's remarkable journey of forgiveness, survival and his commitment to helping others continue to inspire people far beyond Austin.
You can be part of that work. Your gift to the Gazelle Foundation helps bring clean water closer to home for families in Burundi, creating opportunities for generations to come.
