In rural Zimbabwe, access to reliable water remains a major challenge affecting livelihoods, health and community development. In many rural households, women carry the main responsibility for collecting water, often walking long distances while carrying heavy containers. While some young men assist with water collection, the responsibility continues to fall largely on women, highlighting wider gender inequalities linked to water access. With sufficient water, women could expand horticultural projects, grow vegetables, improve household nutrition and create new sources of income. Reliable water access is not only about meeting immediate household needs.