In July, Knights Brown together with Tony Gee & Partners, will return to Rwanda for a new bridge build programme with Bridges to Prosperity (B2P).

Following last year’s successful build, our volunteers (five of our own and five from Tony Gee) will be travelling to the Muhana District to build a 58m suspension bridge over the Bakokwe river.

The more than 8,500 residents of Kiyumba are primarily farmers, cultivating bananas as their main crop. For more than two months of every year, they are cut off from vital resources when the river floods and becomes impassable. These resources include the major market where they sell their crop and purchase food, two schools, a hospital, and the bank. They’re also blocked from the court, sector offices, and the police station in the closest urban centre.

Situated nearly two hours west of Kigali, the Kiyumba community is deeply in need of this footbridge. Two residents died and more than 10 were injured in the last year attempting to cross, and the width of the river makes it impossible for residents to even erect a crude timber crossing when the river is low.

With the help of our team, and the participation of the local community and support of municipal governments, a new footbridge will provide year-round, safe access for more than 8,000 people, ensuring they no longer need to fear the approach of the rainy season.

For the past few months the team has been busy fundraising to cover the cost of their air travel, vaccinations and in-country expenses such as food and transport. On 17 June, they embark on the pinnacle of those efforts when they will be trekking the Glyderau section of the Welsh 3000s – climbing five peaks all of which are over 3000 feet in height. The five peaks, in order, are:

Elidir Fawr 923m
Y Garn 947m
Glyder Fawr 1001m
Glyder Fach 994m
Tryfan 917m

The team has a Facebook page where you can keep up to date with their progress.