Reducing rural isolation: a tale of two bridges Available to Purchase

Worldwide, more than one billion rural residents do not have all-weather access to markets, schools, healthcare and other facilities, a condition which significantly impedes economic development. In the developing world, where walking is the primary form of transportation, footbridges can provide safe year-round access to these critical facilities by eliminating weather-induced obstructions in the transportation network caused by flooded rivers. This paper presents case studies of two footbridges constructed with non-profit organisation ‘Bridges to Prosperity’. The 81 m long Rio Abajo footbridge in Nicaragua and the 51 m long Gaseke footbridge in Rwanda were constructed with industry partners from North America and the UK. The importance of engaging with the beneficiary communities when working on humanitarian engineering projects was evident during the construction of both footbridges. The significant local involvement in the construction of both footbridges will help to ensure the long-term sustainability of the infrastructure projects.