The Project Manager for Bridges to Prosperity (Andrew Seelaus) picked us up from Lake Kivu and took us to our new bridge site where we spent our secluded next two weeks. After 5hrs (that included 3hrs of grueling 4WD road) we arrived at the mud brick guesthouse B2P had rented to store materials and adventurous volunteers. There was no electricity and the only running water came off a pipe that funnels stormwater a couple hundred yards away. We shared the house with the mason and cook who made our daily lunch and dinners from a coal burning stove in a separate room—putting together some delicious rice/veggie concoctions. We were truly living the rural Rwandan lifestyle and loved it!

The construction site was not far from the house but took a steep hike to get to. Soon a 67meter (~220ft) suspended bridge would span over the large Cyamangu River here. The 15-20ft wide divider of the Southern and Western Districts of Rwanda had claimed 12 lives just the past wet season. It was an ideal site for B2P to implement their cost-effective solid design to bridge separated communities and increase safety of walking networks for this developing country. The first week consisted of harvesting local rock and sand from the river and transporting it up to the tower foundation holes. I even took a whack at breaking up the sedimentary rock into concrete-ready gravel pieces but decided after sludge-hammering sharp rock fragments into my skin to leave it to the local hires. Wondering how we could be more helpful by lending our creative minds, we discussed making the construction site more efficient.

When the Project Manager mention the idea to design and build a zip-line that would save time transporting heavy cement bags and masonry stones safely across the river Pete and I jumped all over the idea! We began working on the survey and design right away. After trouble shooting and brainstorming over dinner, we came up with a design and a plan for the next week’s work. We spanned a 100meter (330 feet) 3/8” steel cable across the riverbed and anchored it to an existing tree on the downhill side and a foundation anchored 8-foot pole on the uphill. On our last day we built and tested our design.  The mason helped us piece together a ~90lbs rectangle box made of wood boards and rebar to take the load of at least 2 bags of cement (see pic). Peter bravely carried the finished “material carrying crate” down the steep hill to test it going across the river on the cable with a pulley. She worked! It needs some line adjustments but it made it steadily across the river without going to fast or stopping over the river; we also tied a rope to it in order to pull it back to the high side.

The following day we said our goodbyes and hiked 2.5hrs to catch a bus at the main road. Andrew, who had to be a meeting in Kigali that day, met us and we cruised to Nyungwe National Park and experienced chimp trekking. After 2hrs of hiking through steep jungle we tracked two male chimpanzees who were eating fruit at the top of a tree. The guides warned us not to get to close and we paid for it when we thought it was strange to feel rain with the sun out (a good laugh was had at our negligence). It was a good ending with our Project Manager Andrew who had shown us much of Rwanda that we would not have been able to see without his adventurous spirit (thanks big guy).

Where are you living and working now? San Jose de Pire, Condega, Esteli, Nicaragua

What motivated you to volunteer with B2P?
I wanted a new experience.  I had been in an office for the last year and a half and missed working with my hands and being out in the field.  I also knew that I wanted to do some traveling.  I have always had an open mind for learning new things and new ways of life.  When I learned about Bridges to Prosperity I thought, “Here is an opportunity for me to do a lot of different things that I want to do at one once: travel, work with my hands, help a community in need, experience all kinds of new things, and all while utilizing my experience in bridge design and construction.”  It was an opportunity too amazing to pass up.

What is your most surprising experience in the field?
I have grown to have a much greater appreciation for the machinery that we have available in the United States.  The excavation that took maybe two to three weeks on the site here in Nicaragua could have been completed in probably two to three hours in the United States.  Yet the members of the community, many of them teenagers, are more than willing to help out with the labor.  Especially in the rural areas that I have been working in, basic things such as electricity, plumbing, and clean water become a luxury rather than a necessity.

Do you think this experience will change your work going forward or your perspective about engineering/rural development/poverty reduction, etc.?
Before interning with Bridges to Prosperity, poverty in developing countries was a topic that I was somewhat familiar with through school, the media, and friends who had worked in developing countries.  However, I think that when you experience it first hand, everything changes.  As far as engineering goes, I know that I will have a greater appreciation for the tools and machines that we have in the United States.  If I have the opportunity to engineer in developing countries, I will have first-hand experience with the labor required in construction when large machinery is not available and will be able to take this into account in the design process.

As far as rural development and poverty go, I think this is an eye opening experience.  It seems to become more real once you experience it for yourself.  I could definitely see myself coming back for a second stay with B2P or another similar organization and I would love to be able to have some sort of job in the US where I could work with engineering in developing areas.  The challenges of construction in a rural area with minimal equipment and manpower is so much different than the typical engineering challenges that I have been faced with thus far in my engineering career.

Anything else to share about your  experience as a B2P field intern?
I have just completed my first week of work so I will have much more experiences and stories to come.  So far I have lived with a family in Condega.  It is striking to me just how closely knit the family that I am living with is and how quickly they have welcomed me, and the other American B2P volunteer living here, as a part of their family.  They treat us as members of the family.

I have been working on the bridge at San Jose de Pire.  It is a very rural community with around 250 residents.  As I mentioned before, things that I have taken for granted in the United States such as electricity, plumbing, and clean water and somewhat of a luxury in San Jose.  If I were living in that community, I would definitely struggle with the lack of these things, but the people there seem to be doing just fine without them and make do with what they have.  I have been working for the most part with the three local employees of B2P.  It seems like most of the men of the community are working out of the country.  As far as the community, there have been some teenagers and a few older men who are helping out with some of the work on the bridge.  The B2P employees are very skilled and do very good work and the community members are willing to pitch in where they can and follow the direction of the B2P employees well.  I have been communicated with the community mostly through my broken Spanish, a lot of patience on the part of the community, and lots of hand gestures.  No one has really gotten frustrated with me not being able to understand them immediately and if it is important they will show a lot of patience until I can finally figure it out.

Where are you living and working now?  San Jose de Pire, Nicaragua

What motivated you to volunteer with B2P?
I first heard about B2P two years ago in college, through Engineers Without Borders.  The name came up again in a bridge design class I was taking at the time.  Something that stood out for me was the way in which B2P’s projects so clearly demonstrate the mission at the core of civil engineering – improving lives by providing the infrastructure needed in a society.  I went on the B2P website to learn more and to see how I could get involved.  I applied for an internship, all the while brushing up on my Spanish, reading the Bridge Manual, and watching the Training Videos.  The company I am working with, Hatch Mott MacDonald, graciously allowed me time off to take the trip I had been looking forward to for so long.

What is your most surprising experience in the field?
One of the things that most impressed me on the project is the ability of the people to take difficulties in stride.  For example, one of our anchor excavations had to be dug completely by hand.  This in itself was no easy task, but every day the hole got deeper.  When a massive boulder began to be uncovered, no one panicked or halted work.  After a few days we reached the bottom of the boulder and were able to dislodge it.  When it was loosened, and without missing a beat, attempts were made to crack it into more manageable pieces.  When this proved impossible, the undaunted workers began setting up winches and ramps to hoist the rock out of the excavation.  In the end the boulder was removed and I got to see how the people faced hardships – when building bridges but more often in their daily lives – head on and with everything they’ve got.

Do you think this experience will change your work going forward or your perspective about engineering/rural development/poverty reduction, etc.?
After spending time on the project, I cannot help but see the world a bit differently.  There are many things that I have taken for granted in the United States – such as expecting there to be a bridge where I need one to be.  Many people must live without the luxury of assumptions like that.  Seeing the distance people walk to fill a water jug, or the amount of trips it takes to cart goods by mule, has made me appreciate the difference that something as simple as a small bridge can make  in the lives of others.  Knowing this, I would like to stay involved with B2P long after my internship is through.

That being said, I have also gained experience that is useful in any engineering setting.  The creative perspective the people use when getting a job done without specialized tools and heavy equipment can be applied whenever one is working on a novel project or developing a clever  method of construction.

Anything else to share about your experience as a B2P field intern?
It’s almost difficult to put a finger on why I’m so happy here in Nicaragua; I can only say that I am very grateful to have had this opportunity interning with B2P.   From the  family I’m living with who has made me feel at home in a foreign country, to the sense of accomplishment that comes from constructing a bridge block by block, to being immersed in the day-to-day lives of the people, I truly could not ask for a better experience.  I have benefited from being involved in many aspects of the project; surveying, procuring materials, inspecting, and of course plenty of manual labor.  I have felt the sincerity and good will between workers toiling for the same common goal.  I have grown accustomed to waking up to a hearty Nicaraguan breakfast, working hard all day, and relaxing in the evening with the family, along with their tías and primos who live just a few houses down and visit often.

Thank you.

- Jose Olivar Ccolpa, Cusco, Peru, Yabina y Colpa Suspended Pedestrian Footbridge

- Ken Frantz, Bridges To Prosperity Founder and Volunteer

- Aaron Pettis, Volunteer, Pena Blanca Suspended Pedestrian Footbridge

Simultaneously, families in Peña Blanca, Honduras, continued to warily cross a dilapidated 30-year-old bridge made of barbed wire. The center of the municipality of La Campa, schools, clinics, family members and access to the nearby markets of Gracias all lay on the other side of the river. As the wooden deck panels plummeted into the river one-by-one, ND SEED (Notre Dame Students Empowering through Engineering Development) worked to pull the project together.

Working side by side with these families to construct something so essential to their lives has enriched my life in an unbelievable way. The determination, strength and perseverance of the Honduran men (of slighter build than myself) surpassed all my expectations. The great sacrifice these families have made by leaving their coffee, bean and banana crops from 7 in the morning to 4 pm every weekday attests to the necessity of the bridge. It also illustrates the ability of this community to collaborate in a way that is becoming increasingly rare in today’s world. The community has further plans to build a significantly smaller bridge at another river crossing with the leftover cables and materials.

Undeniably, my work with Bridges to Prosperity and ND SEED has been the defining accomplishment of my undergraduate career. Not only has it been academically enriching, but it has also left an indelible mark on the rest of my life.

- Jessica Winschel, Notre Dame University B2P Chapter, Peña Blanca Suspended Bridge

I think it will make my whole village proud that we have the first cable bridge in Timor-Leste. Everyone will be excited when the Prime Minister comes to see the bridge.”

- Tomas DeCosta, Community member of the Tatarima Suspended Bridge, Timor-Leste

-Amy Floren, B2P Board Member, on the Tatarima Suspended Bridge in Timor-Leste

I also feel fortunate to be part of an amazing team of people that I had never met from all regions of company, ranging from Florida to Colorado to Southern Cal to Northern Cal to Canada. This team could not have been assembled any better as we all worked so efficiently and enjoyably together.

Not only do most people in the world never get an opportunity like this, but most people in our industry who have the ability to do so will never get an experience as unique as the one we had. Of all of the bridges that I have built and will build, this will be the one I will remember the most; none of this would ever have been possible without Flatiron’s support.

- Travis Davis, Flatiron Construction Volunteer on the La Taña Suspension Bridge in Guatamala