What Is ‘Do-Nou’ Technology That Is Upgrading Feeder Roads In Rwanda?

Japan has announced a pledge of USD 260K for upgrading of feeder roads in Rwanda.

Takayuki Miyashita, the Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, signed on a Grant Contract on Monday with Community Road Empowerment (CORE), a Japanese NGO with its branch registered in Rwanda, for the project “Sustainable Youth Employment through Road Improvement taking Locally Available Material Based Approach (Phase 2)”

The project not only focuses on improving unpaved roads conditions but also creates jobs for the local youth.

A Rwandan website reports that this is the second phase of the grant further revealing that the first phase was a success as it trained 168 youths in “Do-nou—a Japanese technology involving packing appropriate soils in bags, then placing them in a systematic way as earth reinforcement.”

While signing the grant for the second phase,Kei Nakajima, the Project Manager of CORE noted that some rural areas have poor road networks making it difficult for farmers to access the market to sell their produce adding that the project has come in handy to salvage the situation.

The second phase of the project is expected to impart 200 youths in four districts: Rutsiro, Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru and Ruhango with skills in Do-nou technology as well as provide funds to enable them establish small enterprises.

Takayuki Miyashita, the Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda also spoke prior signing the grant contract and he said “Good roads are critical for various activities including business, education, and medical services, thereby the project will highly contribute to improve the well-being of the population in various ways.”

Japan which considers itself as the first foreign power to establish a platform to genuinely promote development in Africa earlier offered Kenya USD 145.8K for upgrade of Ngong Road, which is currently ongoing.

Featured Image Courtesy: thehimalayantimes