In May 2024, Dar and its sister Sidara companies TYLin and Introba will be partnering with Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) to build the MuregeyaTrail Bridge — a a 100-metre hybrid suspension bridge that will provide a safe crossing over the Muregeya River in the municipality of Karongi.

A flood-prone river, the Muregeya River often forms an unsurpassable and dangerous obstacle, preventing children from attending schools, disrupting business owners, and often rendering healthcare facilities inaccessible. 

Over the course of two weeks, Dar, Introba, TYLin, and Bridges to Prosperity will unite in Rwanda to complete the new Muregeya bridge. The hybrid suspension bridge is envisioned to serve up to 2,500 people from Rwanda’s Rubengera community, ensuring safe, year-round access to essential infrastructure and other important destinations located on the other side of the river.

Partnering to build bridges and end rural isolation

Established in 2001, B2P is a mission-driven collective dedicated to ending rural isolation by building trail bridges that keep rural communities connected to jobs, markets, schools, and healthcare facilities. Through corporate partnerships such as this year’s partnership with Sidara companies, B2P has managed to construct more than 180 trail bridges, providing safe access to more than 550,000 people.

The new project builds on last year’s partnership between B2P and TYLin — which resulted in the successful construction of the Bishenge (Masuma) Bridge, a 223-foot-long hybrid suspension bridge that spans the Gasumo River within the Nyamagabe Municipality in Rwanda. The bridge was B2P’s first-ever corporate-sponsored hybrid suspension bridge, and it provided the local community with protected passage to education, healthcare, and opportunities.

International expertise, local Rwandan community 

This year’s team was carefully selected from over 100 experts and specialists – from across the three Sidara companies – who enthusiastically volunteered to support communities in Rwanda and make a positive impact. After a careful and thorough evaluation, the final team was comprised of 10 remarkable specialists, including, from Dar:

• Alexandre Kayitare, from Dar Rwanda, as Safety Lead
• Ghassan Issa, from Dar Beirut, as Construction Manager
• Karim Ali, from Dar Cairo, as Safety Lead
• Myriam Zoghby from Dar Beirut as Team Building Lead

For the new project, Dar’s volunteers will include specialists in architecture, structural engineering, and health and safety on construction sites. These experts will leverage Dar’s extensive expertise in bridge design and engineering to support B2P’s mission and connect isolated Rwandan communities. The venture will also build on Dar’s deep-rooted presence in Rwanda, with representatives of our local Rwandan team also joining the venture to support the international team with local community engagement and communication.