A New Bridge Brings Hope to Students

My name is Fadhili Thobias Mwalingo. I am a young person from Mbeya District, in the small town of Mbalizi, Nsalala Ward, Ndola Village, Darajani Street. I have been actively involved in the Education Out Loud project, funded by Kuyenda Collective, since 2022. Since joining this project, it has continuously built my capacity across various education sectors. I have participated in national education platforms and multiple workshops to advocate for and champion our education system in Tanzania and Africa as a whole, ensuring it brings successful benefits to students and the entire community around me. The program has also enabled me to identify challenges and work toward solving them. The Challenge We Faced On September 7th, 2024, as a young advocate, I participated in a major village meeting. The main agenda was the construction and repair of a bridge that serves students and the community travelling from their homes to Nsalala Secondary School and Muungano Primary School - schools where parents have made significant contributions. This wooden bridge had been damaged and broken due to heavy rains, especially during the rainy season. The damage was also caused by human activities such as sand mining near the bridge and stone quarrying, which led to the removal of stones along the riverbank where the bridge crosses. Taking Action During that meeting, I successfully connected with the street coordinator and told him I would volunteer for this construction project and mobilise other youth to volunteer to ensure the successful completion of the entire bridge construction. The village had already requested long timber from various stakeholders and had received the materials needed. I began my efforts to mobilise the community and youth to volunteer in building this bridge because we are the workforce of the nation. This bridge had caused students to lose motivation and become lazy about going to school. It also caused parents to refuse to register their children because of poor infrastructure, like this damaged bridge. This situation motivated me to speak with more than 20 youth to participate in building this bridge, explaining to them the importance of this bridge for our children and younger siblings in our community. The Construction Process In October 2024, we began the construction and repair of this bridge, working in collaboration with the village executive officer, village chairperson, and street coordinators throughout the village. It wasn't easy to repair this bridge as the renovation took two full days. On the second day, we requested additional assistance from stakeholders, including NGINGA COMPANY LIMITED, which helped us with a winch to lift and move the large timber, making it easier to complete the bridge construction. The Impact Since then, students have been crossing this bridge, going to school and returning to their homes. The community also uses this bridge as a connector from one street to another. This project demonstrates how youth advocacy and community mobilisation can create tangible improvements in educational infrastructure, directly impacting students' access to quality education. This story is part of the Education Out Loud project under Kuyenda Collective, showcasing how empowered youth can drive meaningful change in their communities.