Country
Schools and communities are the starting point for our work in Zimbabwe.
Over 25 years in Zimbabwe
From support to self-reliance.
Together with schools, families and our partners in Zimbabwe, we create access to nutrition, water and education. For over 25 years, one goal has guided us: empowering people to shape their own future.
01
Nutrition is the starting point.
A full stomach gives children the energy to learn, play and develop.
02
Water is the foundation.
Boreholes and solar technology free up time, improve hygiene and make school gardens possible.
03
Self-reliance is the goal.
Once the first barriers are overcome, communities can take projects forward themselves.
Why Zimbabwe?
Because meeting people led to a commitment.
Zimbabwe is not just another place on a project list. Doris and Hans Herz got to know the country and its people, stayed in touch and established a foundation that remains rooted in trust, personal relationships and tangible impact.
Trust grows through meeting people.
Children, parents, teachers and communities help shape our projects. We listen, plan together and stay in touch. This is how initial support grows into a lasting partnership.
25+ years of experience
Trust within communities
Support that aims to become unnecessary
Zimbabwe
A country that brought us together.
To understand the foundation, it helps to understand this connection: for Herz HD, Zimbabwe is not a distant project area. It is a country of familiar people, schools, artists and partners who have been part of our work for many years.
People
Schools, families, teachers and local partners are at the heart of what we do.
Culture
Art and personal encounters express dignity, creativity and mutual respect.
Impact
What we have achieved together
Numbers tell only part of the story. Real impact happens when a school gains access to water, a family receives support, or a community can take its next step independently.
invested directly in projects, with administration, travel and office costs covered privately.
preschool children in the school meals programme, as of December 2025.
schools receive food support through our partner Kapnek.
schools in the 2025 water programme, with five more joining in 2026.
Helping people help themselves
Every borehole is a step towards independence.
A borehole is not the end of a project, but the start of new possibilities. A reliable water supply lets children wash their hands, enables school kitchens and gardens, and helps communities take responsibility.
- Water for kitchens, hygiene and everyday school life
- Gardens as a visible first step towards self-reliance
- Projects led by their communities
Our roots
Building on our roots.
Doris and Hans Herz founded the organisation to offer direct, straightforward help. Today, the next generation continues this work with closer personal involvement, greater transparency and a clear goal: to make outside support unnecessary in the long term.
This trust has grown over time. It comes from many years of experience in Zimbabwe, regular visits and partners whose decisions are rooted in their communities.
More about the foundation
Doris and Hans Herz
Our founders set the direction: offering straightforward help and taking personal responsibility.
Kapnek Trust & communities
Solutions do not simply come from Germany. They are developed together with people locally.
Support our work
Shape the future together.
One-off or regular: every donation goes directly to our projects, with no deduction for administration.
Support a child
€10
Approximately equivalent to the annual cost of school meals for one child in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme.
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Help together
€60
Approximately equivalent to the annual cost of school meals for six children.
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Encourage local initiative
€500
A substantial contribution to school gardens and initial income-generating projects developed together with schools and Kapnek.
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Make water accessible
approx. €7,500
A donation of this size is approximately equivalent to the average cost of a new school borehole.
Donate nowEvery euro helps
€350 can make a real difference.
This is approximately equivalent to the cost of school meals for 35 children for one school year.
The amounts shown are indicative figures based on our current project costs. Actual costs may vary by school, location and project. Donations are used wherever they are most urgently needed within our projects.
How we work
Personal. Collaborative. Practical.
We know our partners, visit our projects and make decisions together with people locally.
Trust, not distance
Our partners understand their communities, local decision-making and how to get things done.
No administration costs
Travel, office and administration costs are covered privately. Donations go to the projects.
An honest view of progress
Self-reliance does not happen overnight. We are open about opportunities, risks and what we learn.
Projects
Local impact.
Real places, real people, real change.
Water
Water & independence
Solar-powered boreholes give schools the foundation for kitchens, hygiene, gardens and income-generating initiatives.
Education
School meals & early learning
Daily meals give children energy, help them concentrate and provide a strong start.
Health
Rehabilitation & inclusion
Therapy, support and personal contact for children with additional needs.
On the ground
Water changes daily life immediately.
These videos show why boreholes are more than infrastructure. Before, fetching water meant long walks and carrying buckets every day. Afterwards, water becomes the starting point for better provision, hygiene and self-reliance.
Before: water has to be carried
After: water at the school
On the ground in Zimbabwe
We see for ourselves.
Transparency is part of our everyday work. Our travel reports describe what works, what remains difficult and the encounters that shape our next steps.
2025 visit
New hope through clean water
Meetings with Kapnek, schools, the embassy and the university help shape what comes next.
2024 visit
Masiyarwa, therapy and families
Protein-rich porridge, health checks and support for families make the impact tangible.
Partnership
25 years of trust
From our first encounters to a partnership that continues to grow.
Art
Art is a bridge.
Art from Zimbabwe has been part of our foundation for many years. Sculptures and paintings tell stories of life, family and belonging. Personal encounters with artists connect people in Zimbabwe and Germany.
Explore the art gallery