By Xu Fei-li
Abridged and translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
In April 2024, Zimbabwe declared a state of disaster as an ongoing drought left half of the country’s 16 million people facing food shortages. Tzu Chi is helping to address this crisis.
A single well can provide safe drinking water to hundreds of households within a three-kilometer radius. The aerial photo shows a long line of people waiting to fetch water from a well repaired by Tzu Chi in Domboshava. Li Wen-jie
Our team from Da Ai TV, together with Tzu Chi’s Africa Care Team, arrived in Zimbabwe in mid-August 2024. At volunteer Tino Chu’s home in the capital city of Harare, we were greeted with a large pot of vegetable soup made with fresh corn, shiitake mushrooms, and radishes—enough to feed an army. The sight brought me nearly to tears.
What might seem like a simple meal elsewhere is a rare and precious treat in many African countries south of the Sahara. In Mozambique, our previous stop, fresh corn was nowhere to be found. Locals typically dry it, grind it into powder, and cook it into a bland, porridge-like paste mixed with water. This staple dish is not meant to delight the palate but to stave off hunger. For many in these regions, securing even the most basic sustenance is a daily struggle, and meals are dictated by survival rather than choice.
El Niño is a climate phenomenon that has existed for thousands of years, but its impacts on humanity have been significantly more pronounced since the 20th century, particularly in Zimbabwe. In April 2024, the Zimbabwean government declared a national disaster as an El Niño-induced drought triggered severe food shortages, leaving more than half of the country’s 16 million people in need of food.
Food insecurity is not new in Zimbabwe. Over the years, Tzu Chi has worked to address this need, establishing 52 hot meal stations that now provide daily lunches to 16,000 people.
At a hot meal station in Domboshava, near Harare, we were deeply shocked witnessing the overwhelming need firsthand. The site teemed with people—some had walked up to two hours for a meal. Many families own farmland, but the relentless drought had caused crops like corn to fail.
The distributions primarily focus on children, so families often bring their little ones along. Mothers carried or led their children through the crowd, each child clutching a large lunchbox. Amid the hubbub, some children became separated from their families and were brought to Tzu Chi volunteers. Announcements were used to help reunite them. Despite tears streaming down their faces, the children clung tightly to their lunchboxes, aware that this meal might be their family’s only food for the day.
At the Domboshava station, alongside the staple corn paste, Tzu Chi volunteers had prepared rice, potatoes, mashed beans, and cabbage—a feast by local standards. Volunteer Issac pointed out that due to the large crowds, distributing a single meal could take up to two hours.
Thousands of miles away in Taiwan, Dharma Master Cheng Yen viewed images of the massive crowds at Zimbabwe’s hot meal stations when our news was broadcast. Deeply concerned, she sought a clearer understanding of the drought, the food shortages, and how Tzu Chi could optimize its aid efforts to better support those in need.
On average, a family requires five to seven buckets of water each day to meet their needs. Xu Fei-li
Water: scarce and precious
At Brother Chu’s home, we did not directly experience Zimbabwe’s food shortages, nor were we affected by the water shortage. According to Chu, tap water was supplied only once a week in Harare, “but no one knows which day it will come.” Even when it did arrive, the water often flowed brown from the pipes, making it nearly unusable.
During the severe cholera outbreak in 2008, contaminated water and food posed a significant risk. In response, Chu spent 12,000 U.S. dollars to dig a 55-meter (180-foot) well in his front yard to ensure his family had access to clean water. While the groundwater is clean and sufficient for daily needs, the family still purchases bottled water for drinking.
Originally from Taiwan, Chu has lived in Zimbabwe for nearly 30 years. While he has the financial means to secure a reliable water source, the same cannot be said for most locals. Repairing a well costs around 3,000 U.S. dollars and drilling a new one ranges from 7,000 to 8,000 dollars—unaffordable for the majority.
Understanding this hardship, Chu took action. Over the past 11 years, the Tzu Chi well-drilling team he leads has drilled or repaired more than 2,000 wells. When they receive reports of a broken well, the team heads out to carry out repairs.
We joined the team on one such trip. The journey was rough—the bumpy ride caused us considerable discomfort. As we left paved roads for dirt paths, the landscape turned stark, with sparse trees and vast stretches of barren land.
Our destination was a well in Mhondoro, built decades ago as a rest stop for travelers. It had been broken for 24 years. Upon arrival, Chu and his team dismantled the pump. An earlier survey by the team had revealed large beehives inside the well. After the local government removed the hives, the team returned to complete the repairs.
I was surprised to see female team members working alongside men, skillfully using large pliers to dismantle the pump. Chu had trained them in the necessary techniques. Once the pump was disassembled, the team identified the faulty parts and replaced them.
With training and experience, the team can now repair two wells in a single day. Beyond their technical work, they also connect with villagers, sharing Tzu Chi’s values and philosophy to inspire hope and resilience.
Under Chu’s leadership, the team has expanded from one unit to five, working entirely free of charge to provide access to clean water. Their efforts have made the Tzu Chi well-drilling team a trusted name in Zimbabwe.
On our way back, we rode in the team’s vehicle, packed with heavy machinery. Though the ride was as rough as before, the volunteers’ spirits remained high. They clapped and sang, their determination to help Zimbabwe shining through.
Sitting on a dry riverbed, Tino Chu looks at a hole dug by local residents to collect water. In Zimbabwe, where a water supply infrastructure is lacking, repairing or drilling wells is a life-saving endeavor. Hlengisile Jiyane
A call for greater efforts
After we returned to Taiwan, Master De Hao (德浩) at the Jing Si Abode shared an unexpected fact with me: bananas, a common fruit in Taiwan, are extremely expensive in Zimbabwe. “Master Cheng Yen eats one banana a day to remind herself of Zimbabwe’s needs,” she said. During my visit, I hadn’t seen a single banana.
Master Cheng Yen has said that transforming Africa’s suffering is an incredibly difficult task. It requires not only external aid but also empowering locals to find their own strength. Only through collective effort can they face the challenges brought by climate change and other hardships.
We sincerely hope that one day, with everyone’s support, Zimbabwe’s people will have the infrastructure, food, and other resources they need to live dignified and thriving lives.
