Field Notes: How Structural Engineering Connects Isolated Communities with Essential Services

Field Notes is a recurring series where impactful aspects of projects are brought into focus from the field, along with the people who make it possible.

Structural engineering plays a pivotal role in shaping and improving communities worldwide. While we often take transportation infrastructure for granted in first-world countries, many less developed regions struggle with seemingly simple transportation challenges that hinder access to vital services.

This article explores the transformative work of Engineers in Action (EIA), an organization dedicated to building bridges, providing clean water, and fostering education and workforce development in underserved areas. Through the lens of Sally Gerster, a passionate structural engineer at Otak and mentor for the program, we delve into the profound impact of footbridges on isolated communities and the broader socioeconomic benefits they bring.

Who is Engineers in Action?

Engineers in Action is an organization committed to building bridges and facilitating access to education and healthcare, all in an effort to empower communities globally. Originally affiliated with Bridges to Prosperity, Engineers in Action places a special focus on constructing footbridges, which have an outsized impact on the communities where they’re needed. With impassable rivers and other barriers, these structures ensure year-round, safe access to vital services such as education, healthcare, and employment — together serving as a catalyst for poverty alleviation.

The Impact of Footbridges on Isolated Communities

In many communities worldwide, the lack of transportation infrastructure presents significant challenges, impeding access to essential services, community assets, and even contact with family members. By constructing footbridges, Engineers in Action improves the lives of over 5,000 people annually.

Sally highlights the compounding effect a single bridge can have on individuals, families, and communities as a whole. Take for example, a farmer unable to cross a barrier to access seeds. His inability to work and earn an income also can quickly lead to a lack of food and participation in the local economy. This obstruction – even if temporary – suddenly limits members of an entire community to sustain their livelihood, or life itself. When considering these alternatives, the question often becomes, do you risk your life or the life of others to cross these sites?  

Workforce & Economic Impacts

The economic impact of footbridges in isolated communities is profound. Studies conducted by Bridges to Prosperity reveal a 36% increase in wages and a 75% increase in farmer profitability following the implementation of bridge programs. Additionally, these projects lead to a 60% increase in women entering the labor market, fostering gender equality and economic empowerment. The compounding effect Sally mentions becomes even more apparent when considering the transformative power these bridges hold for local economies.

Education Impacts

Inaccessible barriers often prevent children from attending school, particularly during seasons of heavy rainfall. Education plays a vital role in community development, and footbridges act as the gateway to improved educational opportunities. Furthermore, the involvement of the community in these projects cultivates a sense of ownership and fosters learning experiences that transcend engineering. Engineers in Action not only prepares the next generation of globally-minded engineers, but also empowers communities through active participation.

Broader Community Impacts

In addition to education and economic benefits, footbridges have far-reaching impacts on various other aspects of communities. Improved access to markets enhances economic opportunities, while increased accessibility to healthcare facilities ensures better nutrition and healthcare outcomes. Additionally, footbridges strengthen family bonds by reuniting separated loved ones and facilitating social interactions.

Path of an Engineer in Action: Sally’s Journey to Impact

Sally’s story exemplifies the journey of an engineer dedicated to creating positive change. Her involvement with Engineers in Action began as a student at CU Boulder, where she joined the organization, later becoming a mentor and structural engineer at Otak. University student teams actively organize, design, and construct these bridges, with the organization fostering partnerships for experiential learning and cultural exposure. Sally’s work highlights the profound impact that seemingly small engineering interventions can have on people’s lives and communities.

The Projects

Churo Alto, Bolivia – Learning to Connect Communities

Sally’s involvement in Bolivia took place during the summer after her sophomore year. Alongside her university team, she fundraised, designed, and spent eight weeks building a suspended cable pedestrian bridge spanning 60 meters. This bridge addressed the need of a community separated by a river, which rendered access to school and family members impossible during the rainy season.

Nkambule, Eswatini – Mentoring for Educational Opportunities

Years after her first experience, Sally mentored a project in Eswatini, where she guided a team from CU and Penn State University (PSU). The impassable river in this region hindered various aspects of community life, and the bridge provided newfound opportunities for educational growth. Sally joined to help fill knowledge gaps and played a critical role during the project’s final and most complex stages.

In addition to completing the project, everyone involved gained a unique perspective on their work’s impact. According to Sally, the community’s enthusiasm for this bridge project was unparalleled. “This community was the most excited about the bridge project than any other. They welcomed the students to their community like I’d never seen before, and the students were so excited to learn.” The resulting experience fostered an immersive exchange of culture and knowledge between the students and the community, including visiting the local church and cooking meals together.

Rwanda – Mastering Impact with Data and a Unique Camera System

As a Master’s student, Sally’s work took a slightly different angle, aiming to not just create impact through a single footbridge project, but in measuring that impact across multiple projects. This time Sally found herself in Rwanda, developing a system using trail cameras to track bridge use. Her system is designed to recognize human (ignoring wildlife that can frequent a bridge) traffic, implementing the system, and training locals to operate it after she was gone.

The data enables more comprehensive evaluations of footbridge impact on health, business, and education. Sally’s efforts in Rwanda underscore the multifaceted nature of Engineers in Action’s work and their commitment to continuously improving the outcomes of their projects. The system is still in use today and that data is being applied to not only better understanding the value of the organizations work but also expand where and what they’re able to support communities with across the globe.

Building the Future’s Impact of Structural Engineering

Demonstrated through the work of Engineers in Action, structural engineering and transportation infrastructure is essential to community building. The organization continuously advances its capabilities, such as expanding into the construction of suspension bridges where longer spans open the door to new opportunities in more locations, but also require a higher degree of technical skill and resources. For her part, Sally intends to continue mentoring and supporting students in their pursuit of engineering excellence. Individuals and corporations can also contribute to these programs by volunteering, providing financial support, or sharing their expertise.

The transformative power of footbridges in isolated communities cannot be overstated. Through the dedicated efforts of organizations like Engineers in Action and the passionate individuals like Sally, access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities becomes a reality for those who were once isolated. By investing in structural engineering projects, we build not only physical connections but also bridges of hope and empowerment, shaping a brighter future for communities around the world.