Cooperation projects help build livelihoods in Kenya

As a quantity surveyor, Daniel Kigen Rutto has spent the past four years helping upgrade the Sagana-Marua highway, one of Kenya's most ambitious road projects and a critical artery designed to speed up commerce and connect rural communities to the economic heart of the nation.

For the 30-year-old, the project's meaning stretches far beyond the spreadsheets and cost tallies he keeps each day. "Every time I see a farmer's truck rushing to the market without getting stuck for hours, I feel proud," he said. "We are not just building a road; we are building livelihoods."

Since the upgrading of the highway started, the travel time has decreased from more than two hours to less than two hours. For Kenya's farmers, who grow the fruits and vegetables that line the markets of Nairobi, the capital city, this reduced time can mean the difference between the survival of their businesses and the loss of an entire harvest.