2008 Project: Guatemala Jungle Bridge

Country: Guatemala, Community: El Quetzal, Cost: $6,000, Funding sources: Primarily individual companies and Rotary contributions.

The community of El Quetzal is located in the Sierra de Santa Cruz Mountains, near the town of El Estor in the eastern part of Guatemala and has a population of approximately 1,000 people. In 2007, EWB-CPC investigated the request for a suspended bridge to replace a destroyed suspension bridge constructed from barbed wire, that had collapsed in 2005 from a fallen tree. The approximately 900 villagers who use the bridge are indigenous Mayans that speak a native language Q’eqchi’, most do not speak Spanish. In September 2007, a site survey was conducted and yielded plans for a 100-foot suspended cement bridge.

Since the community was located five miles from the nearest road, EWB team members had to backpack supplies through the mountains and live at the site for the full 2 weeks during construction of the bridge. Locals cleaned and prepared the area prior to the volunteers’ arrival by setting up tents for camping. They also constructed a bodega for cooking and for storage of cement and built a latrine. A Mayan woman prepared their meals of chicken and tortillas and a staple of hot chicken soup was served daily. The villagers provided all labor and transportation of materials to the site and gathered all sand and gravel for use in the project. They carried 200 95-lb. Bags of cement through five miles over steep terrain. 260,000 lbs. of rock and stone were gathered, hoisted and positioned into place by the construction team and the bridge was completely constructed in 10 days (5 days ahead of schedule) by 17 U.S. volunteers and 25 villagers. The new bridge improves safety at the crossing and helps with transportation of goods and crops.

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