Courtesy of Rosendin
Ecmweb 26245 Rosendin Rwanda Suspension Bridge Connected 5
Ecmweb 26245 Rosendin Rwanda Suspension Bridge Connected 5
Ecmweb 26245 Rosendin Rwanda Suspension Bridge Connected 5
Ecmweb 26245 Rosendin Rwanda Suspension Bridge Connected 5
Ecmweb 26245 Rosendin Rwanda Suspension Bridge Connected 5

Rosendin Sends Team to Rwanda to Build Bridge

Nov. 21, 2019
Electrical contracting company teams with Bridges to Prosperity on international volunteer project

Rosendin, headquartered in San Jose, Calif., will celebrate its 100th year in the electrical contracting business with an international volunteer effort to build a footbridge in Rwanda, East Africa. Rosendin is teaming up with the nonprofit Bridges to Prosperity to design and build the suspension bridge in a mountainous farming region in the Muhanga District.

A team of six Rosendin and four Webcor employees traveled to Rwanda on Nov. 9, where they will spend two weeks building the 161-ft long suspension footbridge over the Miguramo River, a dangerous waterway that splits community resources and is impassible five months of the year. In the last year, two people have died and three were injured trying to step across logs placed across the river.

The new Rukurazo Footbridge will serve approximately 1,200 people from the Rukurazo and Bisika communities by giving them safe and consistent access across the river to attend school, visit the hospital, and go to markets to buy and sell food.

“We started planning this bridge three months ago right down to the smallest details including a daily work schedule, tools list and safety precautions like fall protection, as well as basic logistics like where we will sleep and eat, so it is thrilling to finally be so close and have it all come together,” says Beatriz Kim, Rosendin engineering team lead.

The local Rwandan community and volunteers with Bridges to Prosperity constructed the bridge’s anchors, foundations, pedestals, and ramps using locally sourced wood and materials. The Rosendin team will build the bridge’s superstructure. They will set up scaffolding, raise two towers, set cables and crossbeams, and install decking, fencing, and handrails.

As the project manager on the volunteer effort, Kim will lead a team of Rosendin employees to Rwanda including; Erika Fry (Virginia), Chelsea Laird (Oregon), Jordan Barkus (Virginia), Resmey Mom (California), and Andrew Terrell (Texas). Webcor is sending four volunteers: Crissy Tsai, Ryan Fischer, Bradley Shambaugh, and Christian Aguayo.

Rosendin first began exploring the idea two years ago when Matt Englert, SVP at Rosendin, began speaking with Bridges to Prosperity. Rosendin CEO/Chairman Tom Sorley quickly embraced the concept and in 2018 he brought the project to the National Academy of Construction (NAC), an industry association where he serves as president. In January 2019, NAC offered to donate $59,197 to the project if Rosendin secured volunteers to create and implement the plans.

In addition, Rosendin is collecting donations for the Rwandan community so they can maintain the bridge using locally available materials.

For more information, visit www.rosendin.com.

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