World Water Day: Then, Now, and the Work Still Ahead in Burundi
This World Water Day, we reflect on the journey of bringing clean water to Burundi—from the early struggles to the progress made today.
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.
One study in Science Magazine estimated that 4 billion people don’t have clean water to access at home. That’s more than half the world’s population. In Burundi, much of the 13 million population lives in rural locations where clean water is hard to come by. Learn more about where we work.
Close, access to clean water is a treasure. From it, flows joy and so much hope.
We’ve repeated these steps over 18 years proving our process works. With your help 9,650 more individuals gained permanent access to clean water in 2024. See the powerful impact of your donations, event attendance, and partnerships by watching our video>>