During the COVID-19 lockdown, Sukra Ganju faced one of the most desperate times of his life. “I lost all sources of income and could not sell anything or meet the family’s basic needs,” Sukra recalled. “The situation becomes worse due to the bad road connectivity, which curtailed the transport of my farm’s produce to the local market.”

This situation was common for all the community members in the remote village of Hatimor in Assam, where Sukra lives. He was unable to transport his goods from one end of the village to the other, and the muddy (kaccha) road used to spoil the fresh vegetables, resulting in massive losses.

Several efforts were taken to seek support, and many NGO officials and government officials also visited the village, but everyone left with kind words but no action, said the community head.

To help the community overcome this difficulty, Caritas India engaged the villagers under the fund-for-work programme to repair the bridge connecting the adjacent villages. Sukra was the first person to participate in repairing the bridge, which would shorten the road to the market and the rest of the town. Though it was a holiday, Sukra started the bridge repair work on January 1, 2023, under Caritas India’s COVID Response—Fund for Work activity.

Seeing this initiative, people started joining Sukra, and a total of 20 people engaged on different days as per their availability. It was an old, broken, and abandoned bridge, and it took time to repair the entire structure with bamboo and wood.

Finally, the bridge got completed on February 8 and inaugurated on February 12, 2023, by Ms. Boijonti Mili Payeng, the president of the Women’s Organization, and also by the BO of Chaiduar Block, in the presence of the village community, village head Mr. Numol Boro, Anganwadi workers, teachers, students, etc. The bridge now connects four nearby villages, covering around 2500 people.

“Earlier, my vegetables used to spoil their freshness, and I had to sell them at a low price, but now I can reach the market with fresh vegetables and get the right price. “People, including myself, no longer have to travel far to cross the river because the bridge has shortened our road to the market and other villages,” Sukra says.

Children are going to school without worrying about the rainy season, and parents are relaxed about their children’s safety as well as ensuring that the individual and family’s daily travel requirements are met. Ms. Boijonti Mili, BO of Chaiduar Block, said during the ceremony, “Our government has made many promises to provide an RCC bridge, but they have been postponed.” happy to see that an NGO like Caritas India supported this bridge with Fund for work. People had to walk through the riverbed in the mud and water. But now this bridge has made our lives easier. “School students and sick people can get to school and health services easily and on time.” Mr. Numol Boro, the headman of Hatimora village, expressed his satisfaction over the bridge. He says, “We, the people of Hatimora, are very happy to get this bridge, it is a great service for our people through this NGO. “We have been hoping to get this bridge for a long time, finally, Caritas India heard our voice.”.