Building footbridges with poor communities in rural Africa – an introduction to the life changing humanitarian work of Bridges to Prosperity
Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) is a not-for-profit organisation that has been building pedestrian bridges in Africa and elsewhere for 20 years. By connecting people to opportunities that most of us take for granted – jobs, markets, medical care, education, transportation etc. – B2P changes their life story dramatically, helping to eradicate rural poverty caused by isolation. Having built nearly 400 bridges so far, most of which are suspension or suspended bridges with significant spans, the charity has directly improved the lives and livelihoods of over 1.4 million people.
Ian Firth will speak about this life changing work, describing not only the bridges themselves, their design and construction, but also the huge impact they have on the communities they serve. He will also outline how volunteers can get involved by partnering with B2P and travelling to Africa to help in this wonderfully inspiring and important work.
About the speaker:
Ian Firth, FREng FIStructE
Ian Firth is a Trustee of the Bridges to Prosperity UK Trust and has been closely involved with the charity for the past 7 years. He was for many years a Partner in Flint & Neill Partnership and subsequently Director in COWI UK. He now works as an independent consultant. Ian is well known for his work on bridges, large and small, around the world, and was President of the Institution of Structural Engineers in 2017.
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