BY SETHABILE MYENI
MBABANE – The Ministry of Economic and Planning Development together with Engineers in Action (EIA) built two footbridges in Mtsambama which cost over E2.2 million the past year, one in Sibonelo and the other in kaZenzele.
Both bridges are amongst the 15 footbridges that have been successfully built since 2017. A report made by International Bridge Technologies revealed that the Sibonelo footbridge marked the 100th bridge EIA has built worldwide. The bridge is said to serve over 7000 residents of Mtsambama Inkhundla, the same as the nearby kaZenzele footbridge.
These projects were implemented through Micro Projects and their report stated that the footbridges provide safe access to essential resources such as education, healthcare and markets and also improve transportation for farming communities. The report further explained that isolation caused by impassable rivers is the root source of poverty all over the world.
Rural communities are not the only beneficiaries of such projects but also the college and university students. “The Bridge Program also engages students from universities and colleges around the world, providing them the opportunity to meaningfully apply their academic training under challenging conditions, taking on key roles in the design and construction of pedestrian footbridge projects”, reads the Micro Project report in possession of Eswatini Positive News.
