WINNING ENTRY - IFRTD OPINIONS FAIR (April 2007)

Rural Transport and Gender
The benefit of a Trail Bridge Project in rural Ethiopia

By Ms. Elsa Sereke Tesfazghi

Motorized transport accounts for very few of the total travel and transport demands in rural Ethiopia. The majority depends on traditional means of walking, head loading, back loading and use of pack animals. Essentially much of this transport falls on women who have traditionally much of the responsibility for transporting goods. Because of limited road access, the burden on women is particularly severe, not only from the perspective of accessing markets but also for accessing basic services. Many have to cross deep rivers, very difficult in the rainy season.

Helvetas is a Swiss registered development association which aims to work through partner organisations to actively contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of economically and socially disadvantages people in developing countries through implementing sustainable development programs focusing on food security, good governance, education and knowledge management. After completing all the legal requirements to operate in Ethiopia, Helvetas began operation in mid 2003. Among the suspended bridges built under Helvetas in Ethiopia, Batu Bridge is one.

The bridge was constructed in July 2006. It is located in Zeway Dugda Wereda of Arsi Zone of Oromia Region. It is 85 meter span; the walkway width is 106 cm and is used by animals; and humans. The daily traffic is estimated to be about 1000. 

There were cases of damages to human and animal lives, before the construction of the foot-bridges. Among all other community groups, women and elderly people were mentioned as the primary victims of the river, due to their limitations in physical strength. There were incidences in which the men, who help people to cross the river, snatched money from the women they were "helping". Some also mentioned times of internal social conflicts, which demanded escape, yet they were unable to do so because of the river.

Currently, the bridges play a very critical role for communities living on the opposite side of schools, which are divided by the river. Parents say that their willingness to send children, particularly of very young ones [like age 7-10] to schools across the river has increased, due to the reduced river danger and travelling distance, there by contributing for local school enrolment and promoting age at first schooling.

The bridge benefited not only their daughters' education, but also of mothers, who started attending schools encouraged by the reduced distance and river danger. Ayu, a charming lady in her mid 30's, says "now I learn in grade three and go to school with my 8th grade child, crossing the river". Many parents witnessed that the construction of these bridges has not only created an easy crossing of their children to schools and fetching potable water, but also relieved them of the worry they used to experience, until they see their children are back from the other side of the river.

In the pre-bridge days, the full rivers in the rural areas, used not only to confine people in their specific localities, but also denied them of critical services like health, however fatal the situation may be. Male discussants cited a number of life and death cases [such as laboring and bleeding women], which they couldn't help but had to wait until the volume of the river goes down. Otherwise, they have to walk 4-5 hours to reach the nearest health facility, carrying a patient.

The use of donkeys for carrying heavy loads, which is created because of the bridge, has particularly reduced the drudgery on women, who most commonly are responsible to carry things. A woman in her mid 40's commented that "after these bridges, we are not only able to use donkeys for carrying our things, but also relieved of the price we have been paying for people who were helping us [pay separately for ourselves and the goods we carry] to cross the river." 

Interestingly, many in the rural areas are now engaged in petty trading, during non-farming periods, by carrying goods to-and-from the nearest market. Women and men also appreciated the time they have managed to save, because of the bridge, which they are now using for more productive purposes, like getting home earlier and having more time with children. They also value the sense of security - created because of the bridge - very high; as one said "our relief from the strain of 'how full would the river be next minute' is immeasurable with money. We feel so comfortable now, even if it gets darker before we get home, for some unexpected reason."

The rural community members mention that timely and easy access created to reach critical social services like police, Woreda administration and the court are the other highly valued benefits reaped from the bridges. Now they can easily attend court cases, report to authorities, or attend bigger meetings on time.

The rural communities, in the bridge sites are very happy that they can now easily communicate with their relatives and friends, living across the rivers. As these communities share lots of social values and are intertwined with each other, it is no exaggeration if they say that the bridge has significantly improved their relationship. There was an occasion in which a daughter, married across the river, couldn't attend the funeral of her mother due to the river. It is very common for the community to gather on each side of the river and express condolence on the death of a community/family member. Celebrating weddings or feasts together was also not easy, even in dry seasons, which could easily be hampered by unexpected flood from upper streams.

In general in order to promote travelling and transport facilities in response to frequent and serious demand for the rural community, maximum efforts should be exerted by the government and other pro poor partners together with the affected community to address the issue.

This opinion piece was contributed by Ms. Elsa Sereke Tesfazghi, Ethiopia
Contact: or elsa.sereke [at] helvetas.org

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