Do-nou technology
The Japanese embassy in Rwanda has signed a funding agreement worth $ 324,000 with Community Road Empowerment (CORE) , to train local residents and rehabilitate feeder roads in five districts of the Eastern Province.
Benefiting from the project are districts of Nyagatare, Kayonza, Ngoma, Rwamagana and Bugesera. The funding agreement was signed at the Japanese embassy – Kigali on February 16.
As per terms of agreement, CORE will train at least 50 residents in each district, and allocate them damaged feeder roads to rehabilitate them using Japanese Do-nou technology which has been in use in Japan since more than a century now.
It involves wrapping earth in a gunny bag and laying them in a sophisticated way on a road.
“As Core we are working with the Ministry of Infrastructure hand in hand, and we carry out training on the spot improvement of unpaved roads using Do-nou technology through utilization of local materials and participatory approach by the communities,” Yuko Chiba, a project manager at CORE said.
The three year long project started in 2021 and will run up to March 16, 2024. It targets to have 1350 graduates of Do-nou technology in 27 districts of the country, excluding Kigali city.
“This is the last year of three-year-project where Japanese traditional technology for road repairing using sandbags “Donou” in Japanese will be introduced to local road maintenance cooperative or group members, which is expected to be further transferred to the other local community members, and to alleviate poverty in rural area through improvement of road accessibility,” Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda Isao Fukushima said.
According to Chiba, Do-nou technology will be introduced to Integrated Polytechnic Regional College Huye campus and the design of its curriculum is underway.
“It will be among the technical skills to be taught at school. Trainers are available and it will be part of the modules. The curriculum was designed with help from Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA), school officials. It will serve the purpose,” she said.
She pointed out that Do-nou technology and road maintenance will be taught to level-three students at IPRC Huye campus.
