Bridge proves a happy short cut

Building a new bridge in Guinea

Old metal girders, lying forgotten in a Northern Ireland warehouse, have made short work of a long journey in Guinea, West Africa.

In the rainy season, from May to November, the villagers of Tanda had to take a 12-hour hike to get around the flooded Tomboya river.

But not any more. The girders used to help build Derry's Foyle Bridge nearly 25 years ago, have been recycled.

They now span the 200-ft-wide river, offering villagers a short-cut home.

The new bridge means people can trade goods, buy supplies or get medical attention very quickly.

Villagers no longer face the 12-hour journey circumnavigating the river, their only way to get home in the rainy months.

They no longer face worries about what to do in a medical emergency.

Drew Johnston, from the Lisburn-based charity, Friends in Action, organised the transfer of 96 tonnes of bridge and equipment to Guinea.

"During the dry season, the river doesn't cause difficulty because it is only 18ins deep, but during the wet season this river rises to 12ft making access to the outside region impossible," he explained.

"A lot of people came on board who had the right skills, from engineering to construction to skills operating heavy plant equipment."

Nigel Gilbert from the charity said they learned a lot in the process.

"We certainly gained experience by the time we had finished.

"When we arrived there was nothing there other than a river crossing and until we started clearing the vegetation away, it was very difficult even to imagine where the bridge was going to go to."