Gazelle Foundation

05/28/2026

Graduation starts long before a student enters a classroom.

In many parts of rural Burundi, it starts with access to clean water.

Before clean water systems were built, many students spent hours each day searching for and fetching water before they could even think about school. Girls were especially impacted, often carrying heavy water containers long distances for their families. Unsafe water also meant constant illness, causing students to miss valuable classroom time.

Greta, a fifth-grade student in Rumeza, Burundi, used to walk two miles multiple times each day carrying water home for her family. That changed when a Gazelle Foundation clean water system brought safe water closer to her community, serving more than 1,200 students and families.

Today, students arrive earlier, miss fewer days due to illness, and have more time to learn.

Clean water does more than improve health. It helps girls stay in school, gives children time back, and helps build brighter futures.

This graduation season, we’re grateful for every supporter, runner, donor, volunteer, partner and community member helping make this work possible.

Explore the clean water systems changing lives across Burundi: https://ow.ly/SeN850Z5haZ

05/26/2026

Quick question, Run For The Water family:

What's the first memory that comes to mind when you think about race day?

🏃 The hills?
🥁 The drummers?
💧 Carrying a water jug?
👟 Crossing the finish line?
🦋 Volunteering?
🤝 The people you met along the way?

As we celebrate 20 years of Run For The Water, we're collecting stories from the community that made it possible.

Share yours by June 1 and we'll send you a special 20th Anniversary bandana as our thanks.

We can't wait to read them. 💙
🔗 https://ow.ly/at0t50Z4fwn

05/20/2026

Please join us in welcoming Maeve Magner to the Board of Directors at the Gazelle Foundation

While Maeve is new to our board, her connection to our mission goes back decades. She has known Gilbert Tuhabonye since the early 2000s and was one of the original members of Gilbert's Gazelles, a community rooted in movement, resilience, and purpose long before became what it is today.

Maeve brings deep expertise in global health as an independent advisor focused on strengthening healthcare supply chains across Africa to increase access to care. Her perspective on sustainability and community-led solutions aligns powerfully with our work building clean water systems in Burundi.

When asked what motivates her most, Maeve shared:

“It’s incredible to see how many projects have already been completed, but what motivates me most is their long-term sustainability and particularly the role of local ownership."

We’re honored to have her leadership, experience, and heart helping guide the future of our mission.

Learn more about Maeve and the story behind her connection to Gazelle Foundation below.
https://www.gazellefoundation.org/blog/get-to-know-your-board-member-maeve-magner

05/15/2026

💧🎉 A moment of joy, celebration, and new beginnings at Emmanuel Church.

Members of the community gathered in song and celebration as clean water officially began flowing from the tap stand at their church.

More than 150 people worship at Emmanuel Church, and this water system will ultimately serve approximately 3,500 people throughout the surrounding community. Clean water means healthier families, new opportunities, and hope for the future.

Thank you to every supporter, partner, and donor who helped make this possible. Your generosity is creating lasting change—one community at a time. 💙💧

🎥 Watch the community celebration below and see the impact for yourself.

05/11/2026

Clean water systems only work when the source is reliable—and the design holds up over time.

We’ve just begun rebuilding a water system in Burundi, starting with a protected spring that delivers 2 liters per second. From there, water will move through nine miles of pipeline to 22 tap stands—bringing clean water close to home for 4,500 people.

It’s engineered to be simple, durable, and maintainable by the community that uses it.

That’s what turns infrastructure into access, and access into safer, healthier daily life.

💧 See how this system is built to actually work. Read the full story: https://ow.ly/XzSK50YVFzM

05/04/2026

Construction is underway. Because of you.

A new water system is now in progress in Burundi—renovating and expanding an existing system that was no longer meeting the needs of the community.
Today, families walk miles each day to collect water—often from unsafe sources. This project will change that—bringing reliable, nearby access to clean water for 4,500 people.

Thank you for making this work possible.
Because of you, construction is moving forward—step by step—restoring a system that will serve this community for years to come.

And there are more communities still waiting.

💧 From your support → to construction
💧 From construction → to clean water flowing
💧 From water → to healthier families and stronger communities

This is what it looks like when support turns into lasting change.

Help build what comes next.
See the impact:

Construction is underway on the Kabizi–Butwe water system—renovating and expanding an existing, failing system to bring reliable, nearby access to clean water for 4,500 people.

05/03/2026

We’re proud to reveal the 20th anniversary Run For The Water logo — created to celebrate 20 years of miles that matter.

For twenty years, Austin has shown up to run, walk, volunteer, give, and cheer in support of clean water projects in Burundi. This year, we’re honoring that legacy with a milestone race celebration you won’t want to miss.

Be part of the 20th anniversary Run For The Water.

📍 Austin, TX
📅 Sunday, November 8, 2026

Sign up today
https://ow.ly/RUvT50YT0Tf.
💧 20 years. One Race. A Lifetime of Change.

05/01/2026

We're excited to be featured in West Austin News following this year's Spring For The Water Gala.

A night that brought people together, and turned that energy into something real: clean water flowing to communities in Burundi.

Because of moments like this, water systems will be built.

Families will be healthier.
Communities will be stronger.

This is what it looks like when a community shows up.

Read more at the link here:

https://westaustinnews.com/events/gazelle-foundation-gala-makes-clean-water-flow-in-burundi/

Gazelle Foundation Gala Makes Clean Water Flow in Burundi

05/01/2026

We’re excited to be featured in following this year’s Spring For The Water Gala.

A night that brought people together, and turned that energy into something real: clean water flowing to communities in Burundi.

Because of moments like this, water systems will be built.
Families will be healthier.
Communities will be stronger.

This is what it looks like when a community shows up.

Read more at the link in bio.

WaterIsLife

04/29/2026

Your donation has a clear path—and it goes to work immediately. At the Gazelle Foundation every contribution funds clean water systems in Burundi, projects that are ready and waiting.

Right now, we’re 9 weeks into construction on our 77th water system.
💧 From your gift → to construction
💧 From construction → to clean water flowing
💧 From clean water → to healthier families and stronger communities

For the families this system will serve, that means water closer to home, better health, and time back for school and work.

On average, 6 systems are built each year through donations and fundraising. When a full project is funded, that impact accelerates—reaching more people, faster, and helping prevent waterborne disease for generations.

We have additional systems ready to go. Our constraint isn’t capacity, it’s funding.

If you’re looking for a direct, measurable way to create impact, this is it.

04/16/2026

It’s easy to feel far removed from a place like this.

But for the community we serve in Burundi, this work is deeply personal—led by who survived what most of us can’t imagine, and chose forgiveness and hope.

What once took hours… now takes seconds.
Clean water is flowing right outside families’ doors.

Children are back in school.
Health is improving.
Time is being restored.
This isn’t a future goal—it’s already happening.

Watch the video to see the impact.
Drop a 💧 to celebrate what resilience, and community, can do.