The Oltulelei Community Bridge will be a 55m span M-Type suspension bridge and will provide an essential crossing over the formidable Sand River. The Sand River separates the local Oltulelei community from the necessities of life and is gravely dangerous to cross in the rainy season. This beautiful bridge will save lives and bring social change by preventing future drownings and linking the community to economic opportunities, education and health clinics.

BtGA has many partners in the bridge building process, starting with the local community who will own the bridge. Recently, we began this process with a meeting that included BtGA's Harmon, Débora, and me, the Hon. Timothy Ole Mako (Member of County Assembly), and several members of the local Maasai community (including Chief Geoffrey). From here, the Oltulelei community will select a bridge committee to hire a local bridge crew to assist in construction and determine the regulations and the governance of the bridge.

BtGA is also collaborating with the Olderikesi Wildlife Conservancy and Cottars Wildlife Conservation Trust. Cottars Wildlife Conservation Trust is actively engaged in the preservation of natural habitats and wildlife in this vital wildlife corridor of the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Serengeti National Park. They are also involved in securing the area from poachers and for the protection of the community.

We hope to be breaking ground on this exciting project in April.

 

When the news reports that someone drowns, there are many more stories that go unreported due to the nature of living in a walking world in remote Kenya. For the last twenty-plus years, I've listened to rural communities agonize as they shared accounts of people from their village who drowned while attempting to cross a swollen river.

 

Recently, I witnessed firsthand how one Bridging the Gap Africa bridge named Jack's Crossing helped a Masai community cross the dangerous and flooded Sand River. A few days later, I received this text from a young Masai man from this region written in broken English: 

 

"Morning Harmon

I Keep Remember The Good Deed You Have Done To Our Community At This Time Whereby No River Is Passeable With Torretial Downpour And Natural Calamities That All Bridges Along Mara Road No One Can Pass, your Project Are Firm And Passeable You Be Remembered Forever And My Heart Too Will Stick Remembering The Good Work You Have Done.May God Bless You Abundantly.

Thankrs Jackson"

 

Jackson's text inspires all of us at Bridging the Gap Africa to stay focused and do the 'good work' of building Bridges to a Better World -- one bridge at a time!

With grateful thanks for your support,

Harmon Parker

Masai Mother and Child using The Jack's Crossing Bridge over the flooded Sand River