When mountains become mole hills

Staff at Practical Action have been blogging recently about their work to improve access for remote communities in Nepal. Using Tuins and gravity ropeways their projects are changing the way people access markets and essential services.

Find out more through their video blogs below and at their website: http://practicalaction.org/blog/report/its-all-about-access/

If you are interested in these issues why not find out more about IFRTD's International Workshop on Transport in Mountains (November 2010). With a focus on the controversial issues that we face when trying to improve access and mobility in difficult terrain; the event promises to initiate some lively and critical debate. The traditional call for papers has become a 'call for controversies' - share yours with us now: www.ifrtd.org/mountains

What Next After World Cup Fever?

After the IFRTD Board meeting in June I urged my fellow Board members to become regular bloggers on these pages. I can hardly go on urging others to blog if I don't follow my own advice so here goes...

Last month I watched the opening game of the World Cup, South Africa vs Mexico, in a crowded Nairobi hotel bar. We cheered for Bafana Bafana ( apologies to Roberto Aguerrebere, my fellow Board member, who was at that moment heading home for Mexico!) The World Cup party atmosphere continued on my plane journey home the following day to London, with the Kenya Airways staff sporting Go Africa tee shirts. Now that the World Cup is well and truly over the focus is on the legacy of the tournament.

What lasting benefits can we expect, particularly for poor people in South Africa?

Firstly, there is enormous pride in the fact that the doubters who said that the World Cup in South Africa would be a disaster were proved totally wrong. As a British, black woman, low expectations and doubts from others about your ability to succeed is something that I am familiar with, it is always sweet when you prove your doubters wrong. But how much better it is when you feel that you don't need to prove things in order to avoid stereotypes.

Secondly, a few facts and figures about the World Cup 2010. South Africa spent an estimated £3.5bn ($5bn) and FIFA has made £2.1bn($3.3bn) from television coverage and sponsorship alone. Investment in the transport infrastructure is a key part of the legacy; 700 new buses, the upgrading of the road and rail infrastructure, the Rea Vaya (We are moving) South Africa's first Rapid Transit Bus system. This has to be the pearl in the oyster; affordable, high quality mass transport serving the needs of low income people. Check out Todd Litman's post on the Planetizen website for more on this. Next year, 2011 will see Gautrain , South Africa's first high speed train. Part of the route opened for the World Cup in June. I will be keeping my eye on the transport ball to see how well the legacy will serve poor communities in South Africa.

Asante Sana Kenya

By the way, in case you thought I spent all of my time watching football during the Board meeting. I'd like to mention here what a pleasure it was to have the chance to attend a working session organised by Peter Njenga, IFRTD Regional Co-ordinator for East & Southern Africa and Maria Arce, IFRTD Executive Director. The workshop was the start of developing the Strategic Plan for the East & Southern Africa region (see our group, pictured above). We were joined by colleagues, and IFRTD members Taye Berhanu, Executive Director of the Ethiopian National Forum for Rural Transport & Development and Kenneth Odoro, Executive Director for Climate XL Africa. It was a good opportunity to focus on the new agendas and challenges that IFRTD has to face at both regional and global level. I came away from the session feeling very positive and more convinced than ever of

the need for good collaboration and strong partnerships if we are to succeed

in bringing about major change in transport policy and attracting resources and support for our cause. During my trip I also had the pleasure of meeting Eric Makokha of Shelter Forum Kenya .

I learned more about how an organisation with very similar roots to IFRTD has grown over the years since it became independent. I'll be posting more about this in future. For now I will sign off with a thank you (asante sana) to the people I met in Nairobi. I look forward to returning to Kenya some time soon.