Bridges to Prosperity…changing lives one bridge at a time
Bridges to Prosperity is a volunteer based charity that seeks to empower poor African, Asian and Latin American rural communities through footbridge building – thereby advancing personal responsibility, community public works, economic prosperity; and access to schools, clinics, jobs and markets.
The most powerful thing we share with others less fortunate is knowledge. Bridges to Prosperity does so by delivering practical knowledge that encourages the poor to lift themselves from poverty on their own. This empowerment of the poor is accomplished through their Community Bridge Building programs, which demonstrate how knowledge and training can fuel positive change in people’s lives.
Community Bridge Building is an incredibly successful way to teach this lesson. For bridges allow people to cross geographical barriers like rivers/gorges/mountains, thereby allowing access to schools, hospitals and markets. It is no wonder that the poor consider bridges “miracles”. But the true miracle is not the bridge itself, but rather the fundamental change in the hopes and dreams of those that they teach to build it.
Guatemala Footbridges The Guatemala program will begin in January 2010, concentrating on the highland department of Quiché, in particular rural communities in the municipality of Uspantán. Quiché is the homeland of the K’iche and Uspanteko indigenous peoples, direct descendants of the Mayans.
The Quiché department, and in particular the very remote Zona Reyna region of Uspantán, is one of the poorest, most underdeveloped, and least accessible areas of Central America, with some villages within the municipality of Uspantán lying up to eight hours away from the town itself. Uspantán was the site of much violence committed during the war, and the emotional, economic, and cultural scars still remain. The town has been experiencing a revival in recent years, with a progressive and well-respected mayor in office who is actively encouraging and facilitating development work in Uspantán’s poorest areas. The K’iche people continue to hold on to their Mayan traditions and their language, which vary subtly from village to village. The Uspanteko population is fast diminishing with an increasing number of young people leaving the area to find work, neglecting to wear the traditional dress and learn the Uspanteko language.
The geographic boundaries of mountains and rivers further isolate communities, and access to medical care, normally a full day’s trip from the furthest villages, can become impossible during the heaviest rains. With the introduction of safe and reliable bridges, the K’iche and Uspantekos will gain the security of being able to overcome their geographic boundaries during times of emergency, and the confidence of having uninterrupted access to their crops and schools.
Bridges to Prosperity is also exploring a series of prototype suspension bridge projects, sponsored by Flatiron Construction Corporation. The first pilot bridge will most likely be constructed outside of the city of Antigua, in the suburb of San Juan del Obispo, and will serve a community of 8000 people.
Click on any project link below to view more details and see photos of the project and people involved.
Project #062 – San Juan del Obispo Suspension Pedestrian Footbridge
Project #065 – La Taña Suspension Pedestrian Footbridge
Project #066 – Salcaja Suspended Pedestrian Footbridge
Project #067 – San Lucas Suspended Pedestrian Footbridge
Project #068 – Palqui Suspended Pedestrian Footbridge
To learn more about Bridges To Prosperity, please visit their website.
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