UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
ENGINEERS IN ACTION:
STUDENT CHAPTER
Why Bridges?
Rural Isolation is One of the Main Causes of Poverty
Swollen rivers create a higher risk of death and injury when being crossed. People are forced to remain in their homes during these events, severing their connections from markets, hospitals, schools, and other essential services that would be beneficial to these communities. This results in decreased income, lower education levels for children due to being left behind in their studies, and many more other issues that prevents these communities from accessing basic essential services. Bridges ensures that these communities have a safe means of accessing these services all year round, giving them the freedom to maintain their livelihoods, pursue and excel in their education and many more.
Provides Safe and Reliable Access to Schools and Healthcare Services
The dangers of crossing rivers for many of these communities are far too great without the help of bridges. For this reason, children and other community members are forced to remain in their homes, especially during rainy season, without any safe means to travel to school or access any healthcare services. This results in students being left behind in their studies and limited access to healthcare facilities means that there are no means to get any medical help especially during emergencies or scarcities in medical supplies or medications. With the building of bridges, not only will it be safer for community members to cross these rivers, it would also mean that they would be able to have a more reliable and safer means of accessing these services.
Increases Economic Opportunity and Income.
Bridges makes it much easier for communities to transport their goods to outside markets. It is also much easier for them to access tools and other resources, such as fertilizers, that can potentially help increase and improve the production of their own goods. This connection would also allow more women to enter the workforce and provide community members with other non-agricultural job opportunities.
Creates Connections that Leads to Other Solutions
Other programs that are meant to help these communities would be ineffective if there is no way for people and resources to reach them. With the building of bridges, community members can access a multitude of services. Others such as healthcare workers, government officials, educators and many more who are trying to help these communities will have the means to access them, therefore increasing the effectivity of the aid that they are providing.
