Oxfam is supporting a large-scale irrigation project in Zimbabwe that is helping to generate an income for hundreds of families.

Over the past decade, the rains that usually fell in this region of Zimbabwe changed drastically. There are now just erratic bursts of rain and without the rain, nothing grows, and people go hungry.

Oxfam proposed using water in the Ruti Dam to develop a 60 hectare irrigation scheme benefiting 265 households and thousands from the wider communities. These pictures show the scheme in action including three families and their food supply for the week. Each family joined the project at different stages over the past three years.

Phase 1: The Masvingise Family

Ipaishe Masvingise, “There are eight of us living at the house, my mother, two nephews and my sister’s children”.
“I have always longed to own a piece of land where I can satisfy my desire for farming. It’s a dream come true. I cannot wait for the actual farming to start so I can prove my worth. I have always had a passion for farming but the biggest challenge I faced was I always had to wait for my father to decide what part of the field I would till each season. I want to show all women in the world that losing a husband is not the end of life.”

Phase 2: The Mudzingwa Family

The Mudzingwas stand out at the irrigation site due to the sheer level of activity on their plot of land. There is keen anticipation felt by the whole family in terms of what the irrigation project could deliver for them.

Amos Mudzingwas “We’re already seeing that people who joined at the beginning in the first year have had really significant changes to their lives after harvesting their new crops. We’re really hoping our crops from phase 2 are going to get even better. The families who have already started don’t have to buy food now. They have enough, they sell what they don’t need and their children are going to school. The rest of us, my family, we mostly have to buy our maize now.”

Phase 3; The Mananzva Family

Nelson and Esther and their two daughters. They also have three other sons and another baby on the way. Nelson was recently told he will be part of Phase 3 of the Ruti Irrigation Project and is very keen to get started.

“If we’re able to do the same as the other farmers, do as we’ve seen them do, we’ll be able to have crops like them. I’ll be able to have food for my family, sell whatever is left over and send my children to school. In the end I can buy farming tools and cattle again.”

“I’m most proud of the chance I have to go into the irrigation project because there we have plenty of water and soil. My two brothers can come to help me prepare my land as soon as we have a plot. If I play with the water and soil I’m sure I can change the lives of my family.”