Bordang Village Bridge, India
Imagine living in an area so remote that the only way to access essential food supplies, education and medical services is via a rickety bamboo bridge over a fast-flowing river that is washed away every year during the torrential monsoon rains. This is what life is like in a tiny village called Bordang in the foothills of India's Himalayas mountain range. When the bridge is destroyed, locals have little choice but to walk a very challenging route around the river, which can prove too much for the more vulnerable and elderly members of the community. As soon as Explore tour leader, Sanjeev Gurung, brought this treacherous situation to our attention, we knew we had to help. So, during January, when the river is at its lowest, our joint funding with The Derek Moore Foundation will support the construction of a permanent steel footbridge, providing a year-round link to the neighbouring village of Turyok. The project will provide local employment in the short-term, and, in the long-term, it will prove to be a vital lifeline for the villagers of Bordang.