KIGALI, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- For years, the winding hills of northern Rwanda were as famous for their breathtaking beauty as for the long, arduous journeys on impassable roads. Today, the smooth asphalt of the Base-Butaro-Kidaho (BBK) road is changing that reality, bringing renewed hope, economic opportunity, and social transformation to communities across Burera District.
Constructed jointly by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and Rwanda's NPD Ltd., the 63-km BBK road has become a lifeline for residents, cutting travel times and unlocking the region's development potential.
"The project helped us. I can say it is a profit for us," said Seth Havugimana, a 30-year-old businessman and resident of Gitare Village in Burera, during a recent interview with Xinhua.
Before the road, reaching nearby towns was a daily struggle. "Sometimes we could not reach here at all because of the bad road," he recalled. What once took four hours to Musanze city now takes about an hour.
"These changes mean everything," he said. "Business can move and people can go from here to another place easily. We are very happy about this new road."
For Havugimana and many others, the BBK road has transformed livelihoods. Once limited to a single daily trip to Musanze to buy goods, he can now make more than four trips, cutting costs and increasing his income.
"Before, it was difficult to go outside and bring goods or materials here," he said. "Now, if someone tells me they need something, I can go and purchase it and bring it back directly."
The road has also improved access to essential services. Families can reach schools, hospitals, and markets with ease. "If someone in my family is sick, it is easy to take them to the hospital," Havugimana said. "Students can go to school easily. Before, it was not possible."
Jing Niu, acting project manager of the BBK project at the CRBC, explained that the company handled the 22-km Kidaho-Butaro section. Construction faced challenges, including steep and rocky terrain, environmental protection near Lake Burera, traffic management, and child safety. To address these, the company worked closely with local authorities and communities to conduct regular safety education and maintain road accessibility.
The BBK road's impact goes beyond individual lives, extending to the broader rural economy.
Thierry Muneza Kamuhanda, BBK project director, emphasized that careful planning focused on social and economic benefits. "We estimate around five million vehicles per year. Where there is traffic, there is economic activity," he said.
The project has also created jobs, with about 10 percent of the total investment allocated to labor, directly improving household incomes and local social conditions, he said.
"When a road is built, businesses are created along it," he said. "Petrol stations, coffee shops, and other services follow. Tourism will also increase, especially since the road runs along Lake Burera."
Bruce Semana, a local CRBC staff member who joined the project in 2022, highlighted the broader transformation. "This area was once among the poorest. Now, Burera District is one of the fastest-developing districts. Roads make the difference," he said.
Semana noted that the project brought workers, machinery, and new economic activity to the area, creating opportunities that never existed before. "It's not only the road itself, but also the people who came with the project," he said.
He also highlighted the valuable skills he gained through collaboration with the CRBC. "I joined as a young graduate with ideas but no practical skills," he said. "Everything I know is practically management, public relations, and working in challenging environments, which I learned through the CRBC."
The Kidaho-Butaro section is now largely open to traffic, with final works underway. The entire BBK project is scheduled for completion by the end of the year, promising to continue reshaping the future of northern Rwanda. ■
