Volunteer And Community Service Opportunities North Shore, MA 2026
March 31, 2026The Story of Makhosiya
When we gather at Nahant Beach on June 27th for the 10th Annual Running and Walking Well 5K, there will be live music, free food, and a lot of laughter. It is going to be a beautiful morning of community and fun on the North Shore.
But there is a deeper, more urgent reason why we are lacing up our shoes this year. We are running for a community called Makhosiya, located in the drought-prone Chiredzi District of rural Zimbabwe.
Right now, the 600 people living in Makhosiya are facing a severe water crisis. Because rainfall is erratic and surface water dries up quickly, families are forced to rely on distant, seasonal rivers or shallow wells. The water they find is often contaminated, bringing the constant threat of cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid.
The burden of this crisis falls heaviest on the women and children. Every single day, women walk miles just to collect enough water for their families to survive. Young girls are forced to spend hours fetching water instead of sitting in a classroom. Because of water scarcity, livestock suffer, and small-scale farming—the lifeblood of the community—is nearly impossible.
But a single borehole well can change everything.
A well in Makhosiya means safe drinking water. It means girls can go back to school and restore their right to an education. It means women are freed from the grueling daily trek for water, empowering them to engage in other economic and social activities. It means irrigation for crops and sustained food security.
At the center of this community is the Makhosiya Assembly 1, a small church of 40 adults and 25 children. They have a beautiful vision: if they can get a borehole, they plan to start a market garden. The proceeds from that garden will be used to feed and care for the elderly and the most vulnerable people in their village.
They have the vision. They have the heart. They just need the water.
That is why we run. Our goal for this year’s 5K is to raise $25,000 to drill a deep, reliable borehole well in Makhosiya.
When you register for the 5K, your ticket is not just an entry to a race. It is a drop of clean water. It is a girl returning to school. It is a garden growing in the desert.
If you cannot join us on race day, you can still be part of this miracle. You can sponsor a runner, make a direct donation, or simply share this story with someone who might want to help.
Let’s run, walk, and change lives. Good Hope, Inc - Doing Good Together.
Doing Good Together
Founded in May 2013, we have funded the digging of eleven wells in Africa which provide clean water for many villages, crops and livestock. The average cost of a well can exceed $25,000 but one well can save hundreds of lives and change the lives of thousands of people.
If you would like to be part of our Good Hope Wells today, please consider volunteering with us, make a donation., or join our next 5K Race.
