Build Bridges for Health, Education & Hope - Nepal

Support bridge building in Nepal

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Build Bridges for Health, Education & Hope - Nepal

Summary

EcoSystems builds a unique, popular, all-weather "gondola" bridge in Nepal. The bridge moves 40 to 80 adults, or 80 to 160 children per hour, safely each way across rivers up to 160 meters wide. read updates from the field

How You Can Help

Make a donation

$10 - Chaka (wheel) or hanger for one bridge.
$20 - Load-bearing spacer or nag spacer for one bridge.
$50 - Gabion block or roof for one bridge.
$100 - Carriage assembly or wire for one bridge.

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$ Other amount

or give a gift in honor/memory of someone

Received $1,418 from 52 donations from people like:

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YOU!

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More Information About this Project

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

12 million Nepalese live in the Himalayan foothills where rivers are hazardous obstacles to education, health care and markets. Limited access denies many children an education, discourages proper health care, and increases the cost of goods. To cross more than 10 meters, there have been only two alternatives: an extremely dangerous cable 'tween' wherein a makeshift trapeze or wooden box hangs from a pulley that often crushes the user’s fingers, or an expensive suspended walking bridge.

Activities

Since 1998, EcoSystems has built 31 gondola-like WireBridges over dangerous rivers in Nepal at a quarter the cost of suspended bridges. Requiring only 2 to 4 months to complete, EcoSystems can build 12 bridges per year and easily expand its capacity

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $1,418
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $16,582
Total Funding Goal: $18,000

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources

Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

In more than 1,000 Nepalese communities, schoolchildren and others want to "reach the other side" safely. Village children and adults have used the 31 WireBridges more than 3.2 million times with no accidents. Requests for bridges are overwhelming.

Project Message

WireBridges are not just structures. They also are symbols of cooperation. Every client community has put a 'bridge' above politics and despite the regional conflict, no bridge has ever been harmed.
- David Sowerwine, Managing Director, and co-founder

Who is Running This Project

Contact

David Sowerwine
Managing Director
999 Olive Street
Menlo Park, California 94025
United States
650-380-5008
Email:

Project Sponsor

The Tech Awards

Organization

VillageTech Solutions (VTS)
999 Olive Street
Menlo Park, CA 94025
United States
650-853-1713
http://www.villagetechsolutions.org

Learn more about VillageTech Solutions (VTS) and the project team.

VillageTech Solutions (VTS)'s Funded Projects on GlobalGiving

Give Pedal-Generated Light to Millions of Nepalis

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in Nepal and can also be found under Economic Development.

For more information about Nepal, read the Human Development Report on Nepal or the Wikipedia entry for Nepal.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on May 25, 2009.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on June 1, 2004

Latest Update from the Field

Achane school bridge completed

By David Sowerwine - Managing Director, May 25, 2009 11:50 AM

In January EcoSystems' team and local villagers completed the 34th WireBridge, this one extending 165 meters across the Ankhu River (aka Netrawati River) at a place known as "Sukaura". GlobalGiving donors contributed some 55,000 Rupees (about $700) of the $19,000 expense. This bridge will provide a safe crossing for many children from the river's left bank to several schools on the right bank. During the monsoon the bridge will also be used by right bank residents to reach a public road on the left side.

The team remarked that the level of cooperation at this site was higher than they had experienced at any other location. An example was the uncomplaining effort of many volunteers who repeatedly waded the icy river to move the heavy steel parts and wire.

Stringing the bridge required only three days. On the fourth every able-bodied person from the area arrived for the inauguration, for speeches, and for that first white-knuckle ride over the river.

A glimpse of the Sukaura bridge construction is posted on YouTube. Please join us at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb-7xNiQha0

Links:

Building the Sukaura Bridge -- on YouTube

Pictures:

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