A 23-year-old man surprised everyone when he started digging the ground with a spade, shovel and pick in search of water.

Mashudu Nemaukula of Makonde-Thongwe says he will not rest until he gets the underground water which he will share with his community and family members.

"People say I am out of mind and that is not true. I just want to prove a point that everything is possible if there is dedication and hard work. I do not have money to hire drilling machines, but I will use the hands that God gave me. What I have realized is that most of our people are too lazy to do something on their own and when you start working hard, they spread the rumour that you are out of mind," said the determined Mashudu during Mirror’s visit.

The well-travelled Mashudu said he realized that it was easy to get underground water without advanced drilling machines when he visited Zimbabwe two months ago. "I visited Masvingo town and realized that those most of the people are using the water they have dug from underground. I told myself that if the Zimbabweans can do it, there is nothing that can stop me from doing it too."

Mashudu has so far only spent seven days digging the ground and he has gone as far as 15 metres. The challenge is that he needs more ladders because the ones that he is using can no longer reach the surface. Instead, he has resorted to using a rope to go into the ground and to come out. After digging inside, he uses a small bucket to take the soil out of the hole.

He is confident that he will get the water in the not-so-distant future. "I have done my own traditional survey and realized that there is water here. I will continue digging and digging until I get the water. I am hopeful, because I have already come across four different layers of soil. This gives me more courage to continue, because I know that the water is near. When I approach the wet ground, I will stop and let the water come out by itself. I will then use the bucket and a rope to draw out the water from the well and enjoy the fruits of my hard labour with my people."