From the initial idea to the initiative: How Bamboo Builds Future came to be
Why did we start this project?
About a year ago, I was sitting at my desk in Accra, asking myself how we could use all the influence, knowledge and experience we have gained over more than 25 years to place a stronger focus on environmental protection through our work.
The environmental destruction in Ghana has reached an alarming level. Illegal gold mining, locally known as galamsey, is destroying entire landscapes. Forests are being cut down, soils are becoming unusable, and rivers and water sources are being heavily polluted. Chemicals such as mercury and lead are used during the mining process and end up in the soil and waterways, with serious consequences for both people and nature.
This issue has been on my mind for many years. But the more time passes, the bigger the problem becomes. On the ground, you can see efforts by the government, authorities and civil society initiatives to counter these developments. Yet overall, the destruction continues to advance.
The reasons behind this are complex, and I will go into more detail about that another time. At that moment, however, another question became more important to me: What can we actually do, with the skills and knowledge we have, to protect nature, preserve forests and help restore them in the long term?
And then the idea came to my mind: Bamboo.
Bamboo can be an alternative.
At first, I discussed the idea with Victor. Very quickly, we both realized that there was real potential in it. From that moment on, we began connecting intensively with experts from around the world.
Especially in Asia and South America, there is deep knowledge about bamboo, its applications and its possibilities. That is where we started researching more deeply, learning and building our first connections.
What we found
We began taking a close look around Ghana and evaluating all available resources.
We contacted the Forestry Commission, searched for other NGOs and civil society initiatives already working with bamboo, and looked for existing bamboo workshops and carpenters with experience in bamboo processing.
At the same time, I reached out to international organizations, including INBAR, the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation, as well as the World Bamboo Organization.
But the deeper we researched, the clearer it became that while bamboo exists in Ghana, there were no functioning, structured and sustainable systems we could build upon.
There are individual initiatives, but nothing that provided reliable structures or a concrete foundation for larger-scale work.
Bamboo exists naturally, but not as an accessible and usable resource, neither in sufficient quantity nor in a quality and structure that would allow larger-scale processing.
The moment of decision
And then Victor and I made the decision to move this initiative forward.
Together with friends, donors and team members, we launched the initiative Bamboo Builds Future.
For me, it was clear: if we truly want to support nature in Ghana, then we have to approach this in a larger and more structured way. I have great confidence in our more than 25 years of experience, in the knowledge we have built and in the strong network structures that have grown over more than two decades. It also became very clear what would be necessary.
We need to secure bamboo as a resource and make it available in sufficient quantities. We need to bring professional bamboo processing knowledge into the country. And we need to establish functioning supply chains.
For this, we need strong partnerships, both locally and internationally. Only then can this idea become a project that is sustainable and truly creates long-term impact.
How we started
For the first step, we found a local carpenter who had the necessary know-how, experience and equipment to begin this journey together with us. For us, it quickly became clear where to start.
We build schools, hospitals and kindergartens, run a children’s shelter and support many other infrastructure projects. Furniture is needed everywhere. So what could be more logical than starting exactly there? Bamboo furniture.
It is practical, directly usable and allows us to gradually build the entire value chain, from the raw material to the finished product.
This enabled us not only to start immediately, but also to gain practical experience and develop the first solutions that we can continue to expand.
What comes next
That was the beginning of our journey. Next time, I will take you into the workshop, the place where the very first bamboo furniture pieces were created. I would be happy if you continue following me along this path.
Warm regards
Bettina
