A sold-out crowd gathered on February 23, 2024, at the W Hotel in downtown Austin for the Gazelle Foundation’s annual Spring For The Water Gala to hear Dr. Tom Byrd and Gilbert Tuhabonye share first-person accounts of their work and recent trips to Burundi. They also spoke about what challenges exist, what progress is being made, and how generous supporters can spread health, hope, and opportunity by way of clean water.
Progress and Health Outcomes Tied to Clean Water
The gala featured a conversation between Dr. Bryd and Gilbert Tuhabonye emceed by Austin Radio Personality Ed Clements. The three spoke about both the progress and need for clean water in rural Burundi.
Medical Care In Rural Burundi
Dr. Tom Byrd practices internal medicine in Brownwood, Texas, and has worked in global health through health clinics based in Burundi. He is on the board of directors for Christian NGO, The Cries of a Child, which operates the Cornerstone Clinic in Bukeye, Burundi.
Dr. Byrd spoke to the hard fact that the death rate of children under age 5 is higher than it should be. According to UNICEF, 52.6 children out of 1,000 population die before their fifth birthday as compared to 6.2 children in the United States. The cause is largely a result of extreme poverty and lack of access to clean water and sanitation. Eighty-five percent of the 13.2 million Burundians live in rural communities and are the hardest hit by these realities.
Personal Experiences Hauling Water to a Rural Health Clinic
Gilbert shared a poignant story about caring for his mother who became sick when he was in sixth grade. He and a group of friends carried her across Burundi’s hills and valleys to a health clinic six miles away. But the journey was not over.
The clinic did not have access to clean water, so Gilbert had to go fetch clean water six miles back and forth for her continued care. He wasn’t able to return to school while his mom was healing. Thankfully, his mother recovered. Gilbert wondered aloud on stage, “I must have been super dehydrated. How did I do this?”
Dr. Byrd shared that it was not unusual for patients to the health clinics he works with in Burundi to have walked 4-5 hours for care. “There’s no PTO. If you can’t work because someone is sick, it affects the entire family,” he said.
An Evening of Generosity to Bring More Clean Water to Burundi
Gazelle Foundation Board Member Michael Madison delivered opening remarks to kick off the evening, welcoming attendees to take their seats for dinner after a cocktail reception. After the panel discussion, a live auction, and a dedicated give with a $30,000 match grant took center stage.
Our specific fundraising goal was for the construction of the Murenge-Shanga Water System that will serve 3,100 people, including two schools and two churches in Burundi.
Thanks to our table sponsors, auction donors, and supporters, we exceeded our fundraising goal and raised an all-time amount of more than $200K to construct sustainable, clean water systems in partnership with the people of rural Burundi, one village at a time. Because we surpassed our fundraising goals, we will be able to build even more water systems this year than we expected.
Inspiring Hope for Burundi Through Water and Celebrating Through Dance
The evening concluded with Troupe Abizihirwa dancers, who energized the crowd and inspired us with their traditional dances. They encouraged everyone to stand up and join them in an impromptu dance party to celebrate joy.
With smiles from ear to ear, Gazelle Foundation Co-Founder Gilbert shared from the stage, “When [clean] water comes to a village, it’s a celebration of life.”
Soon, we'll share updates and photos from the water system funded by the 2024 Spring For The Water Gala 2024, so everyone can follow along and see the progress we are making together. We are grateful to Spring For The Water Gala Committee Chairs Natalie Brown and Paula McCaul for everything they did to make this event a success!
View candid photos of the event courtesy of Elizabeth Kreutz, and photos from the Photobooth. If you didn’t have the chance to make a donation at the event, there’s still time to make a tax-deductible donation.
