Gazelle Foundation co-founder Gilbert Tuhabonye was honored at HISTORYTalks 2026 with a moving video tribute celebrating his extraordinary journey from surviving genocide in Burundi to inspiring hope and changing lives through clean water. On the anniversary of his survival, we're sharing this powerful tribute to his resilience, forgiveness, and enduring impact.
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.
Watch The Journey Behind Every Drop and see how a water system goes from careful planning to clean water flowing throughout a community.
See the smiles. Hear the celebration. When clean water reaches a community in Burundi, the gratitude is profound—and so is the reminder of what your support makes possible.
Preparation for water system construction in rural Burundi takes planning. Find out all the steps that are taken before construction kicks off. Our local project manager partners directly with those who will benefit from the water system. Local residents are hired to help build the system, and community members volunteer to maintain each part of the system. These measures ensure the water system will operate for years.
Construction on the Ngarambe-Kidaseba water system kicked off September 28, 2026. Over the next 15 weeks, local teams will build a new system providing 800 people with permanent, nearby access to clean water.
Today, families walk several miles to collect contaminated water. Soon, clean water will be close to home.
Want to get involved? Learn more here.
Water system #79 is officially underway. Fully funded by Alvin Chee in honor of his parents, Bill and Dorothy Chee, the Mwivomo–Murangara system will bring clean water closer to approximately 900 people, including 120 members of Murangara Pentecost Church—shortening the distance people travel for water and bringing a reliable source closer to the places they live, gather and worship.
We are pleased to announce that construction on the Musinzira-Mahwa water system kicked off on February 9, 2026, and was completed on September 14, 2026. The system was made possible by the generosity of donors like you.
This water system marks a new beginning for this rural community by delivering permanent and close access to clean water. Currently there is no clean water located nearby, which means community members walk several miles away to fetch water that is contaminated.
We are pleased to announce that construction on Sovu-Rogongo water system #76 began on October 28, 2025 and was completed February 6, 2026. 950 people in the community now have have daily access to clean water.
The water system was made possible through a generous donation from Alvin Chee in honor of his parents Bill and Dorothy Chee.
Construction on the Murwindara-Mugano Water System #72 in Burundi began on September 1, 2024 and was completed in December 2024. This system was funded by our sustaining donor community AMAZI For Burundi. A contaminated water source several miles away is what the community is relying on for water. The new system will provide water to 1,300 residents.
We are pleased to announce that construction on the Ryabitari-Gatoga water system began on May 1, 2024, and was completed on July 25, 2024. At the outset, there was no clean water located near the community. By abject necessity, the majority of the population relies on a primary water source that is several miles away from the community, and the water there is contaminated. The system now provides clean water to 1,000 residents.
