Fika, formerly known as Bridges to Prosperity, is an NGO that operates in East Africa to address rural isolation. What started as a small partnership with local communities to construct trail bridges now operates in 21 countries. It has built 480 trail bridges and has reached approximately 1.7 million people.

Despite being historically underestimated, rural isolation is a root cause of poverty. Approximately 1 billion people are considered rurally isolated, meaning they live more than two kilometers from an all-season road and 80% of people living in extreme poverty reside in rural areas. A significant proportion of these populations live in sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring that no long-term impact can be achieved without first addressing rural isolation in East Africa.

Fika’s Impact So Far

Over the past few years, Fika has had its greatest impact in Rwanda. Since partnering with the Rwanda Transport Development Agency in 2019 and building 200 bridges, the organization has reached more than 800,000 people nationwide. Fika estimates that each bridge results, on average, in a 75% increase in farm profits and a 30% increase in household income.

This impact benefits local communities and demonstrates a strong return on investment for a trail bridge. In fact, Fika calculated that each trail bridge returns 49% of its cost in increased economic activity annually, meaning each bridge essentially pays for itself within two years of operation. Even when considering nonmonetary factors, connecting communities to critical services has led to a 200% increase in school attendance among girls and improved access to health care in Rwanda.

These outcomes show a clear correlation between poverty and rural isolation in East Africa, meaning one cannot be addressed without the other. Furthermore, after years of research and testing, Fika designed a trail bridge model that is both cost-effective and sustainable. When the project began, the founders had limited access to heavy, durable materials.

As a result, it developed a system that uses repurposed and locally sourced materials to construct the trail bridges. These bridges are now simple to build and highly resilient, capable of withstanding the volatile climates of the countries in which they are built.

Vision for the Future

While many people have already benefited from the organization’s work, millions remain isolated from critical services. Fika aims to expand into other East African countries and broaden its reach into Central Africa; its newest program is launching in Zambia, with the goal of connecting 500,000 people by 2030. Most importantly, Fika is working to move away from philanthropy toward a more sustainable model in which governments or the private sector fund these projects.

The trail bridges built so far are owned by local governments, which makes them responsible for maintenance rather than Fika and helps ensure long-term upkeep without relying on the organization’s resources. Fika is still trialing partnerships with local governments, as each country requires a different cooperation model.

Final Thoughts

Although trail bridges are not the most traditional form of foreign aid or poverty alleviation, Fika represents a shift toward more permanent and sustainable solutions. Quick relief aid is essential and has helped millions in the past. However, organizations that address the root causes of poverty, such as rural isolation in East Africa, are more likely to achieve long-lasting impact and support future development without relying on continued foreign aid.

– Vittoria Cortese

Vittoria is based in Washington DC, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash