Founded in September 2020 by Julia Washbourne (CEO of Bamboa) and co-founder Dr Shyam Paudel (Forest and climate specialist),
The Grow Bamboo Initiative has one main mission:
PROMOTE BAMBOO PLANTATION
GLOBALLY TO FIGHT CLIMATE
CHANGE AND EMPOWER LOCAL
COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMY.
The initiative has started by creating the first community bamboo plantation project in Kavre District, Nepal by supporting a dozen of local families from Dhaneshowri village. One hectare of 250 bamboos has been planted so far.
We need your support now more than ever!
Meet THE GROW BAMBOO INITIATIVE Team
Julia WashbourneCEO of Bamboa, Co-founder of GBI Nepal - HONG KONG
Dr Shyam PaudelCo-founder of GBI Nepal. A forest and climate specialist. - NEPAL
Get yourself a Boo-Coin and we plant 1 bamboo for you! 1 bamboo can capture 2 metric tonnes of CO2! Our project the "Grow Bamboo Initiative" to grow bamboo on a larger scale in order to fight climate change and to support local rural communities has come together and has planted its first bamboo seeds in Nepal this year. We have planted one hectare of bamboo in the Kavre district of Nepal, that employs the local rural community to plant and tend to the bamboo until its harvest after three years. The bamboo will be woven and crafted into baskets and incense sticks, chopsticks and other daily practical items that are eco-friendly and can serve as a replacement for plastic and other non eco friendly materials. To keep this good work going, Bamboa has minted its own currency – the BOO-Coin, made of 100% ethically-sourced bamboo. Your contribution plants more bamboo and we’ll send you an ethically-sourced, unvarnished, BOO-Coin made out of Bamboo. Keep it or give it as a holiday gift. It’s a coaster, a conversation piece and shows that you care about our fragile world. This is a present that keeps on growing. A living and breathing...
Bamboo release 35% more oxygen than trees and absorb carbon dioxide. The 250 bamboos planted so far eliminates 200 METRICS TONNES OF CO2 and is also a way to slow deforestation. Fast growing bamboo can help quickly replenish a forest stripped of timber.
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SUPPORT RURAL COMMUNITIES
The initiative support a dozen of rural families by providing them with an income for their families and educations of their children.
On the hectare dedicated to the GBI, the communities will plant and attend to the bamboo until it is ready to be harvested.
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PRODUCE ECO FRIENDLY ITEMS
After 3 - 4 years, the bamboo will be harvested and sold locally or will be woven and crafted into daily practical items that are eco-friendly and can serve as a replacement for plastic and other non eco friendly materials.
GET TO KNOW THE TEAM
Dr Shyam, a forester by profession, has over 20 years of International experience in Natural Resources Management and Sustainable Development. He has a long experience in bamboo sector development. He had also served as a Senior Program Officer at International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) from 2002 to 2011. During his career, he has developed and managed numerous bamboo ecology and value chain development projects in many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. He is also passionate about helping local communities by engaging them in the value chain system of locally available commodities, such as bamboo and has continued his contribution to improve bamboo sectors around the world.
Mr Badri Adhikari (Community Leader) is a native resident of Dhaneshwari Village of the Kavrepalanchok district. He has been leading the Dhaneshwari Baikiwa Community Forestry as a Secretary ever since it was formulated in 2005 and was appointed as a community facilitator for the Moso Bamboo plantation plot of 0.5 hectares managed by Department of Forest Resource and Survey in 2008. Mr Adhikari has participated in bamboo related trainings conducted by Nepalese and Chinese government. He had also represented Nepal in International bamboo training in Tripura of India. Currently, Mr Adhikari operates a Moso bamboo nursery which was established after importing Moso seeds from China in 2017.
Apsana Kafle (Coordinator- Nepal) is a graduate student from Nepal who pursued her undergraduate degree in Forestry from Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry. Throughout her university life, she had participated and led multiple conservation campaigns, outreach, and research activities related to landscape restoration and community resilience against natural disasters. She is leading a conservation campaign named “Generation for Restoration” where she mobilizes youth towards restoration of urban green spaces. Apsana wants to promote research, conservation and awaneress of the bamboo sector in Nepal, a country where bamboo has a significant role as a natural resource and cultural resource. She believes that bamboo sector promotion is absolutely necessary to upscale the economy and resilience of the country towards the roadmap of Sustainable Development Goals.
