Bridges to Prosperity

Water is life. It nourishes crops, sustains families, and connects entire ecosystems. But for millions of people living in rural areas without safe infrastructure, water is also an obstacle that isolates, endangers, and takes lives. Water issues extend far beyond access to clean drinking water - they are about mobility, equity, and survival. Bridging these barriers is essential to ensuring that water remains a giver of life, not a taker. Because no one should have to risk their life just to cross to the other side.

With WaterNet, our AI-powered mapping tool, we've tripled the world's mapped waterways, adding more than 124 million kilometers of previously unseen rivers and streams. Why does this matter? Because if we don't know where the water is, we can't plan for climate change, build critical infrastructure, or support isolated communities. Now, that's changing. 👉 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gMDPiV6R #WaterNet #DataForGood #MappingEquity

When governments have the right localized tools, systems, and processes in place, they can more easily achieve their development goals. Our second blog highlights how B2P prioritizes an enabling environment, multi-dimensional training programs, and technology transfer to ensure governments and communities can sustain effective rural access programs into the future. This approach empowers governments, communities, and local companies to accelerate their growth. Learn how our capacity building efforts are scaling impact, full blog link heren 👇

B2P Regional HSE Manager Diane Ntaganzwa Sine (AIEMA ) has had her research published in the Journal of Sustainable Environment! Her article, “Can Trail Bridges Promote Both Environmental Aesthetic Value and Economic Development in Rural Areas?” explores how trail bridges reduce travel time, boost local economies, and create jobs—especially in hilly regions with deep valleys. Diane’s research reinforces what we see daily at B2P: safe rural infrastructure catalyzes socio-economic growth! 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gCZQBiTg

Let's build a world where rural women spend less time walking and more time building, leading, and thriving. Without safe and inclusive access, we are holding back the very people who drive progress for families, economies, and future generations. This #InternationalWomensDay, invest in access. Invest in women. #IWD #AccessforAll #InvestinWomen

Let's talk about women and access. Women in rural communities make 5x more daily trips than men - walking miles to guide children to school, reaching markets, collecting water and firewood, and gathering with their communities. For millions of these women, rural isolation makes every trip harder, longer, and more dangerous. The good news? A simple solution already exists. Safe, year-round access means fewer trips, less walking time, and more opportunities to invest in their families, livelihoods, and futures. When women move safely, they move communities forward.

Last week, the Uganda Operations team, in partnership with the Ministry of Works and Transport, officially handed over the first private sector-built bridge—the Kahondo Church Suspended Bridge in Kabale District! 🎉 This marks a significant step in our efforts to empower the private sector to lead rural bridge construction, with B2P providing supervision and technical support. The next day, we celebrated another achievement: unveiling the Nkisya Suspension Bridge in Ntandi Town Council! Now, communities have year-round access to essential social and economic services. Thank you to our partners, contractors, and everyone involved in making these projects successful! Lessons learned and project documentation are underway and will be shared soon.

Thank you, DP World, for your incredible partnership and commitment to building a more connected world! 🌍✨ The opening of the Kabeza bridge is a testament to what’s possible when communities, volunteers, and partners come together.

Congratulations to B2P Construction Services Manager MUNYANEZA CLAUDE, who co-authored with Hunde Tamene Diribsa and Aflah Mohamoud, an insightful research paper that compares suspension trail bridge construction in Ethiopia and Rwanda. Recently published in the I.J.B.E. International Journal of Bridge Engineering, the study highlights best practices, design innovations, and efficiency improvements in bridge construction, emphasizing cost-effective solutions and sustainable rural access. We strongly believe in continuous learning and collaboration to improve and scale our impact. Cheers to our partners at Helvetas Ethiopia and Jigjiga University for this meaningful work. 👉 Download the study: https://lnkd.in/gia3QvSd

Our needs assessment, inspection, and maintenance training for private companies, district engineers, and Rwanda Polytechnic staff has successfully wrapped up! This initiative strengthens local capacity to ensure the safety and longevity of rural infrastructure across Rwanda. District engineers and private companies are now equipped to inspect and maintain bridges in their districts, and the Rwanda Polytechnic staff is prepared to train future teams. This training will be followed by practical maintenance training where B2P will support contractors in completing their first trail bridge maintenance repairs. A huge thank you to our Rwanda Program Management team for their coordination!