Rwanda: Organized People Celebrate a New Bridge in Mushikiri

“We longed for this bridge. I used to wait here every day, worried that children might drown. Now people on both sides can move freely, especially during the rainy season.”
— Nzisabira Etienne, PICO Rwanda leader

On Rwanda’s National Harvest and Thanksgiving Day, PICO Rwanda leaders joined hundreds of residents and public officials to dedicate and celebrate a new bridge in Mushikiri Sector.

The bridge connects communities in Kirehe and Ngoma Districts, making it easier for residents to travel, trade, reach markets, and get children safely to school.

Before the bridge was built, residents relied on logs to cross the river. During heavy rains, the logs could be swept away, forcing people to wade through dangerous waters.

“We had no bridge, so we walked on logs. When it rained heavily, they were swept away. Now we are happy to have the bridge because we can go to the market without problems, connect with Ngoma easily, and our children can go to school safely.”
— Nikuze Olive, Karenge Village resident

For local businesses, the bridge is also opening new possibilities.

“We wanted to transport goods across to Ngoma but couldn’t because the water was too high. Now they’ve helped us a lot. We can carry our goods without problems.”
— Munyabugingo Emmanuel, motorcycle taxi driver

From Listening to Action

Building the bridge was about more than stones and cement. It was the result of persistent community organizing and the Mushikiri leadership team’s commitment to the PICO organizing method:

• 1-to-1: Leaders listened to residents and learned how the lack of a bridge affected families and livelihoods.
• Research: The community studied the problem and determined that collective action was needed.
• Action: Leaders organized residents and engaged public officials, building accountability step by step.
• Reflection & Evaluation: The community assessed what it had learned, celebrated its achievement, and considered what comes next.

The road to the bridge was not always smooth. There were meetings, setbacks, difficult decisions, and persistence. But the Mushikiri leadership team stayed organized and kept moving forward.

Today, the bridge is a visible reminder that organized people can turn shared challenges into lasting solutions.

Mushikiri Sector authorities recognized the community’s contribution to the project, including labor valued at more than 10 million Rwandan francs (about $6,784).

“Even if external support is small, when citizens contribute ideas and effort, it helps preserve these achievements because they belong to the people.”
— Rangira Bruno, Mayor of Kirehe District

This is the power of community organizing: people identify the problems that matter most in their lives, come together around solutions, and build the relationships and leadership needed to make change possible.

PICO Rwanda now has leadership teams in 38 villages and communities across Rwanda. Using the same organizing approach, communities have worked to build health clinics, schools, and roads—and are continuing to organize around tree planting and protection of Rwanda’s fragile environment.