Bridges to Prosperity Christmas Appeal

Christmas may have been and gone, but I thought it was worth a mention for Bridges to Prosperity's Christmas appeal, as there's still time to donate.

As hopefully most of my readers will know, the charity builds pedestrian bridges in some of the world's poorest and most remote rural communities, enabling people to reach schools, markets, health care and many other facilities.

Here are a few key statistics taken from B2P's UK Charitable Trust appeal email:

• The World Bank estimates that there are more than 1 billion people globally (that's about 1 in 7) who lack year-round safe access to fundamental basic needs;
• Bridges to Prosperity can construct a footbridge in just around three months;
• Local government investment averages 50% for each project, meaning that B2P works closely to empower local communities with every bridge build;
• Communities receiving a footbridge show a 12% increase in school attendance, a 24% increase in healthcare treatment, a 15% increase in local business, and an 18% increase in women in employment.

Here's what B2P UK Trustee Ian Firth has to say:

"The statistics are captivating, but what really motivates my work with B2P, more than any statistic, is the time I have spent in country with the communities served by our bridges.  Local residents, trained by our teams, have worked alongside us to construct their bridge, and are deeply invested in maintaining it. Mothers and fathers are no longer nervous to send their children to school or the market on their own, and farmers will plant a wider variety of crops because they don’t have to worry about being able to reach the market, no matter the season. Lives are saved because the health clinic or hospital is reachable year-round, and families are reunited across an otherwise-impassable river. It's this sort of transformative change that B2P is all about – safe access, for all.

"Last year, B2P built 37 footbridges serving 150,000 people in all. Next year, our goal is to build 42 footbridges, and to serve our 1 millionth person over B2P’s fifteen-year history. To do so, we have to raise £10,000, and we need your help."

If any of my readers would like to donate towards the appeal, you can do so online.

More information about the charity and its work can be found at their appeal website (it includes links to several other fundraisers which may be relevant to readers wishing to donate in US$ rather than £UK).