{"id":12101,"date":"2025-04-09T13:53:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T13:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.systra.com\/ibt\/news\/a-bridge-that-changes-lives\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T14:52:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T14:52:34","slug":"a-bridge-that-changes-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.systra.com\/ibt\/news\/a-bridge-that-changes-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"A bridge that changes lives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In the south of Rwanda, 10 hours from Kigali, the river Rubyiro, quick to burst its banks, has for a long time dictated its law to the 6,600 or so inhabitants of the Rusizi district. The river’s regular flooding prevented them from accessing healthcare and essential services, putting their lives in danger every time they crossed on foot or by motorbike. Schoolchildren, pregnant women and farmers were all occasionally cut off from the infrastructure that was essential to their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SYSTRA has been a partner of the NGO Bridges to Prosperity since 2016 and sent a team of 10 volunteers to the region to build a solidarity bridge, which was inaugurated on 29 November 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The SYSTRA and Bridges to Prosperity team together<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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The 68-metre suspension bridge is made entirely of steel and has a 25-year guarantee. It is maintained by the Rwandan workers who took part in its construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Five months after its inauguration, the annual income of the local population has risen by 30%, and 2,500 children have improved access to schools and nearly 700 women to maternity wards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is the third solidarity footbridge to be built by SYSTRA in Rwanda, following those at Shyagari, erected in 2022, and Rusumo in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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