Building Bridges to Connect People

The Imo Bridge in Awuchinumo Community in Imo State, Nigeria in dire need of Repair

Let us build bridges that connect individuals.

Growing up as a kid in my little village, we walked everywhere, from home to the stream to fetch water, and firewood, to Church, the market to school, and from the playground to the farm to visit families and friends.

In all these activities, there were few situations where anyone crossed a river. The only river in my community is the Imo river which has a bridge known as the IMO bridge.

Umuawuchi community is located in Imo State, the Eastern part of Nigeria.

The only bridge that connects this community of about 35,000 people to the rest of the Country is the Imo bridge, about two miles from the Enugu- Porthharcourt highway.

This steel bridge which was less than half a mile, was constructed over seventy years ago by the British colonial masters.

It serves a critical need for pedestrians, bikes, motorbikes, and cars.

The bridge has no maintenance, and the road is dusty, rough, and narrow and is a federal government road.

The people of Awuchinumo have no other outlet, and so the road is busy twenty-four hours a day.

Zita’s Healthy Beginning works in Umuawuchi, helping women and children with health care services to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Health care providers from neighboring towns like Umuahia and Okigwe travel through this rough part to conduct annual free health clinic visits.

The last clinic took place in January 2022, and at that time, the bridge broke down, and no pedestrian or bike could access the road. The bridge is in a horrible condition and is a big challenge to the community.

Zita’s Healthy Beginnings (ZHB) assessed the bridge; the cost to repair the bridge is 42 million Naira, this amount of money is way high, and the community is impoverished as a result of the lack of a good road.

We are appealing to individuals, organizations, and those with the skills that could support the community to come and rescue this population and help to rebuild the bridge.

May God bless you as you reach out to the people of Awuchinumo through Zita’s healthy Beginnings.