The Watch INSPIRED BY THE PEG, U OF A STUDENT FOUNDS A GROUP THAT BUILDS A BRIDGE IN BOLIVIA This is a story about the community-building power of the right bridge in the right place. And it’s also a story about the inspirational power of a PEG feature—in the right brain at the right time. Our cover story for the winter 2014 edition, The Other Side of the River , was about a Denver- based organization called Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) and a project in Panama. The B2P footbridge between La Conga and La Florida, built in part by an Alberta engineer- in-training, “carries a heavy load—the hopes and dreams of
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local residents, who now have year-round access to education, job opportunities, and medical services,” we wrote at the time. To Mabel Smith, who was 18, the story’s words were particularly powerful. “I was so excited about B2P’s application of civil engineering to a humanitarian cause that I went on to found the University of Alberta student group associated with B2P,” says Ms. Smith, now a university student member of APEGA. “We have now been able to complete our first U of A bridge-building project, in Chavarria, Bolivia.” In the rural community, a river separates farmland from the village proper. That’s not a problem for much of the year, when the river is little more than a trickle and
the village’s 450 residents can easily cross it. In the rainy season, however, it can become impassable in mere minutes. This made it impossible for children to reach their school. Farmers couldn’t get their crops to markets. Reaching medical care or other services became far more complicated. But now, thanks to the U of A group affiliated with B2P, villagers use their new footbridge to go back and forth whenever they like. Eight U of A students travelled to Chavarria during the summer, and in just 26 days, they and a team of 10 community members completed the 39-metre, cable suspension bridge, following B2P plans. The bridge features a one- metre-wide deck, fenced in by chainlink siding in red, yellow, and green—the colours of the Bolivian flag. It’s anchored on both sides with blocks of concrete and stone. The village raised 15 per cent of the costs for the build. The U of A group, today known as U of A Engineers in Action, raised $20,000, through crowdfunding, corporate sponsorship, U of A itself, and other fundraisers. B2P covered the rest. “One of the highlights was taking a half day off work and playing soccer with community members,” recalls Ms. Smith. “Another highlight was the inauguration day, after the bridge was complete. An overwhelming number of community members came out to celebrate the completion of the bridge. There were speeches, confetti, dancing, and a special alcohol drink called chicha.”
DANCING ABOUT THE BRIDGE Locals and the builders of their new bridge celebrate its opening, in the tiny community of Chavarria, Bolivia. -photo courtesy Mabel Smith
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