Our Expertise and Services: Rural Access
We help build and maintain rural roads and trail bridges that improve access to markets, schools and health centers. Roads and bridges connect people from different places and across rivers and deep valleys. They create opportunities.
Why roads and bridges matter
One billion people do not have access to an all-season road. Roads are fundamental to economic growth and access to basic services. Rural transport infrastructure and services are key to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals in the area of energy, food security, health, infrastructure, urban development and climate change.
What we do
Helvetas strengthens the rural transport sector in many countries. This includes the development of cost-effective engineering design, financing and maintenance mechanisms, capacity building, and devising technical school and university curricula. We develop capacities of the private sector and standards, norms and policies for the rural transport sector.
We generate jobs, particularly for disadvantaged groups and women, by promoting labor-intensive methods.
Helvetas created the South-South Cooperation Unit (SSCU) to share its know-how on trail bridges. Nepali experts provide training of trainers in Ethiopia in the field of trail bridge technology. The SSCU has also implemented mandates for organizations such as the African Development Bank and the International Labour Organization.
Helvetas helps create local platforms that facilitate exchange and innovation around the effective use of drainage water (road water harvesting) and road borders. We promote gender equity in the transport sector.
What we offer
- 50 years of experience in the trail bridge sector, from designing bridges to developing a sector-wide approach
- A global trail bridge expert team based in our partner countries provides training, technical assistance and oversees implementation
- Extensive experience in labor-intensive rural road construction including budgeting guidance, construction, management and maintenance of rural roads, as well as strengthening governance
Contact our Team
Our South-South Cooperation Unit provides technical assistance on the construction and maintenance of trail bridges. The team coaches local actors in developing trail bridge sector skills and policies.
Contact our experts for rural access
Selected projects
Helvetas develops and guides projects. To be sustainable, they must be locally embedded. We support our partners in effectively organizing projects and processes and assist local authorities to better assume their responsibilities.
