Connecting communities to opportunity with the Kajeje Trail Bridge

We’re incredibly honoured and excited to be partnering once again with Bridges to Prosperity to support rural communities in Rwanda. From May 25^th until June 6^th, four passionate volunteers from Dar will join colleagues from our sister Sidara companies TYLin and Introba to construct the Kajeje Trail Bridge, a 45-metre suspension bridge over the Bukaba River.

A trail bridge serving communities across four Rwandan villages

Rwanda – the breathtaking Land of a Thousand Hills – is well known for its rivers, which are defining features of its geography, ecology, and economy. Fast-flowing rivers and streams flow through the mountainous and hilly landscape of the country, sustaining Rwanda’s wetlands, lakes, and rich biodiversity, while also supporting livelihoods and economies, through agriculture, livestock, fishing, and much more. However, with their steep gradients, these rivers often trigger erosion and landslides. Many of the rivers – including the Bukaba River in the Muhanga District – swell during the two rainy seasons (March-May and September-December), with rapid rainfall runoff often causing flash floods and costing lives.

For the remote rural communities of Kajeje, Mbirizi, Mataba and Cyanika, the Bukaba River becomes exceptionally hazardous during the two rainy seasons, and its flooding cuts off access to essential services such as schools, markets, healthcare facilities, and more. Once completed, the Kajeje Trail Bridge will provide a safe and reliable crossing over the Bukaba River, serving more than 4,000 people living along the river and ensuring uninterrupted year-round access to education, healthcare, and opportunity.

Bridges to Prosperity: Connection as a foundation for opportunity

Bridges to Prosperity envisions a world in which poverty caused by rural isolation no longer exists. For this mission, Bridges to Prosperity partners with communities, governments, private sector, research and technology, and other stakeholders to help plan, prioritise, assess, construct, and manage transport access for rural communities around the world. The transformational mission-driven organisation has completed over 600 bridges, across Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and more, providing more than 2.5 million people with safe access to greater opportunity.

Delivering the Muregeya River Trail Bridge

In 2024, Dar had collaborated with B2P, TYLin, and Introba to successfully construct a 377-foot bridge over the treacherous Muregeya River.  Today, this crucial bridge serves over 2,500 residents, providing safe passage and connecting them to markets, communities, and schools. Discover the incredibly inspiring full story of this bridge and the community it seeks to serve.

A new global team of volunteers

For the 2025 build, four Dar volunteers will be joining colleagues from across Sidara, for a two-week construction project, that will connect them with Bridges to Prosperity leads as well as community representatives from the region. Collectively, they will forge not only a bridge for lasting connectivity but also local partnerships and memories for a lifetime. Our team includes:

• Ahmed Salah El Din, from Cairo, as Construction Lead: A Lead Architect at Dar, Ahmed specialises in designing exceptionally beautiful and sustainable buildings, including everything from luxurious hotels to residential buildings, offices, mixed-use developments, and commercial hubs. Volunteering with Bridges to Prosperity aligns naturally with Ahmed’s track record of giving back to his communities through serving several community and charitable organisations. “I have always believed that infrastructure is more than just construction — it’s a tool to unlock opportunities. This belief motivated me to join the 2025 B2P Build in Rwanda. Bridges do more than connect places; they connect people to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities — essentials many take for granted but can be life-changing for those in isolated areas,” Ahmed says on his new mission to Rwanda.
• Karim Harb, from Beirut, as Safety Lead: A Landscape Architect trained at the American University of Beirut, Karim brings an exceptional love for the outdoors, nurtured through countless camping trips and journeys as a group leader and scout in a youth scout organisation. As a landscape architect, he advocates greener and more integrated environments, particularly in urban spaces. On choosing to volunteer for Bridges to Prosperity, Karim explains: “Scouting has been a core part of my life for the past 15 years. Our founder’s words: ‘Let’s leave this world a little better than we found it,’ have guided not only my journey as a scout but also my career and personal ethics. This program feels like another step in that mission, a chance to learn, grow, and contribute in a meaningful way. There’s something incredibly powerful about bringing people together, bridging differences, and creating shared experiences.”
• Lea Issa, from Beirut, as Communications Lead: A civil engineer and project manager, Lea specialises in planning, designing, and coordinating construction projects. Lea thrives on combining her love for creativity with problem-solving to deliver engineering and management solutions for clients and communities. “I am truly excited for the B2P project because it’s a cause that matters…Volunteering can be challenging, but when it comes from the heart, it makes all the difference. Even if the conditions are tough, I am thrilled about the adventure ahead. I look forward to gaining insights from everyone’s experiences and careers. It is important to me because we grow from the advice and knowledge of others. I am also excited to learn new things as an engineer and to see how my work can make a lasting impact.”
• Nadya Wigglesworth as Community Engagement Lead: An urban planner, designer, and engagement consultant trained at UCL’s Bartlett School of Planning, Nadya spearheads community engagement to create more inclusive and welcoming designs. Forever inspired to support her community, Nadya has volunteered with Girl Guiding UK, food banks, refugee charities, Age UK, and SupportMatch homeshare. On her experience with B2P, Nadya says: “My motivation for applying to B2P is the opportunity to have a practical role in improving the lives of those impacted by rural isolation, to build meaningful international relationships, and work within a multicultural setting. I hope this project creates a lasting impact on the community members and the B2P team.”

Ahmed, Lea, Karim, and Nadya will be joined by six other volunteers from across Sidara companies TYLin and Introba. Discover their stories and what inspires them as they seek to make a change for communities in Rwanda.

Supporting sustainable development in Rwanda

Sidara’s global volunteer team will be supported on the ground in Rwanda by our local office. Established in 2021, Dar Rwanda undertakes exceptional, strategic projects across Rwanda, leading the detailed design of the new Kigali International Airport, supporting the upgrade and expansion of the Amahoro Stadium, and more. Our work with Bridges to Prosperity aligns with our mission of giving back to our communities, and has been supported in Rwanda by various community initiatives, such as the One Shot One Tree campaign, Good Governance month, and more. With the new build, we’re excited to continue our outreach to some of Rwanda’s more isolated rural communities, as we work with our partners in Rwanda and globally to deliver a brighter future for everyone.