When the Zambezi River drops, so does life across Zimbabwe.

This iconic river supports over 32 million people, providing water for drinking, bathing, farming, and energy production. But with dry seasons growing longer, and 2022 marking Zimbabwe’s driest year on record, river levels can no longer meet demand. Families trek long distances for unsafe water. Crops fail. Waterborne diseases rise. The crisis is reshaping daily life across both urban and rural communities.

Under the African Sun, a Rivers are Life film, tells the story of two unlikely partners who refused to look away. “Brother Bill” Evans, a charismatic pastor from Kentucky, and Leonard Maronda, caretaker of the Mission House in Zimbabwe, teamed up in 2017 to provide a simple, lasting solution: clean water, delivered straight to villages.

Their approach is straightforward but transformative. By drilling and repairing borehole wells, they’re restoring reliable access to safe drinking water, free of charge. To date, they’ve installed over a dozen wells and repaired many more, providing an estimated 44,000 gallons of potable water every day to thousands of people. For families who once relied on contaminated river water, these wells are more than infrastructure, they’re life itself.

At its core, Under the African Sun is a story about hope. Hope for communities who now drink clean water without fear. Hope for children who can go to school instead of walking miles with heavy buckets. Hope for a future where climate challenges are met with resilience and compassion.

By showing what’s possible when people unite across continents and cultures, this film reminds us that the solutions to global problems don’t always start with institutions, they start with individuals bold enough to act.