Community Involvement · May 21, 2026

High Structural Erectors Senior Project Manager Joe Nambuppha spent two weeks in May 2026 in Shyira, in Rwanda’s Northern Province, as part of an eleven-person volunteer team building a 220-foot pedestrian suspension bridge across the Mukungwa River.

The team was assembled and led by Jeff Carlson of the National Steel Bridge Alliance and worked through Fika, formerly known as Bridges to Prosperity. Volunteers came from across the bridge industry — state DOTs, design firms, universities, manufacturers and contractors — and built the crossing alongside members of the local community.

Shyira sits in mountainous country where heavy rainfall and runoff can make the Mukungwa dangerous to cross. The finished bridge gives five communities a safe, reliable connection, improving access to schools, healthcare, markets and commerce for more than 4,300 residents.

High sponsored two employees for the mission: Joe, and Robin Dunlap of High Steel Structures — a reflection of the company’s commitment to service, collaboration, and infrastructure that strengthens communities.