Bamboo Foundation The Gambia-BFG

18/09/2026

Wishing All our esteemed followers and Supporters a Happy World Bamboo Day celebrated on the 18th September. Grow Bamboo for greener Gambia.

12/09/2026

💚 Dear friends, supporters, and everyone who follows our work

Right now, we are facing a challenge in Dumbuto, The Gambia, that is very close to our hearts.

During the long dry periods, water becomes scarce. Wild monkeys are forced to come closer to our bamboo growing areas in search of something they simply cannot live without:

💧 Water.

Unfortunately, while searching for it, they often damage water pipes, irrigation systems and young bamboo plants.

At first, this may sound like a small local problem — but for our work, the consequences can be much bigger.

🌱 When young bamboo plants are destroyed, weeks of care and work can be lost.
🎋 These seedlings are also needed for new planting areas and for families and communities who can benefit from bamboo in the future.

And this is where our wider mission begins.

At **Bamboo Foundation Gambia**, we work to use bamboo as part of a long-term solution:

🌍 reducing plastic pollution
🎋 creating sustainable alternatives to plastic
🌱 protecting nature and restoring green areas
🤝 training and supporting local communities
💚 creating new and sustainable income opportunities

That is why protecting every young bamboo plant matters to us.

But one thing is very important:

🐒 We do not want to simply chase the monkeys away.

They are not the problem.

They are looking for water.

Our goal is therefore to create a solution that respects wildlife while also protecting our bamboo project.

We would like to build **wells and additional water points closer to the animals’ natural habitat**, so they can find reliable water without needing to enter the growing areas.

At the same time, we want to improve the water supply for our bamboo fields with better irrigation, water tanks and more reliable infrastructure.

💧 Water for wildlife.
🌱 Protection for young plants.
🎋 Stronger bamboo projects.
🤝 More opportunities for local communities.

This is why we have now started our **first fundraising campaign**.

We know very well that not everyone is able to donate — and that is completely okay. 💚

Sharing this post, liking it, talking about our project or introducing us to people, companies or organisations who may be able to help can make a real difference too.

Sometimes one share is enough to reach exactly the right person.

🙏 If you would like to support our campaign, you can find it here:
https://gofund.me/e0e0985d6

From all of us at Bamboo Foundation Gambia:

💚 Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for every form of support.

💧 Water for wildlife.
🎋 Bamboo instead of plastic.
🤝 New opportunities for people.
🌍 A better solution for everyone.

18/08/2026

Reducing Pressure on Forests

Ebrima Jagne, Secretary General of the Bamboo Foundation, said the organization has conducted annual bamboo planting campaigns since 2017 in communities across the country.
“The goal is to promote bamboo as an alternative to timber and firewood and reduce pressure on The Gambia’s forests,” Mr. Jagne said. “Bamboo has the potential to ease this pressure. Gambians depend heavily on forests for firewood and timber, but bamboo can provide a sustainable alternative.”
He said the foundation will continue its nationwide awareness and planting campaigns to promote bamboo as an important part of The Gambia’s climate and development efforts.

Looking Ahead
With the 4.6-hectare site secured, the foundation’s next steps will focus on expanding bamboo propagation, training farmers, and connecting bamboo producers with markets. Its leaders hope that, with the right support, bamboo can create jobs for young people, restore degraded land, and provide sustainable alternatives for construction and other products.
As the Bamboo Foundation enters its 10th year, the message from Dumbuto is clear: bamboo is more than just a plant. For its advocates, it is a potential tool for building climate resilience, reducing poverty, restoring the environment, and promoting green economic growth in The Gambia.

18/08/2026

Young Researcher Links Bamboo to Climate Action.
Also present was Awa Manneh of Brufut, a recent graduate of the University of Science, Engineering and Technology (USET) with a degree in Planning and Designing. She is now leading advocacy efforts within the foundation to promote bamboo as a sustainable response to climate change and economic challenges.
Ms. Manneh said her interest in bamboo began during her final-year research after she watched a video highlighting the plant’s potential during a free period in class.
“I was inspired by the potential of bamboo — how sustainable the plant is and its economic benefits,” she said. “When I told my Head of Department that I wanted to do my research on bamboo, I was told it would be difficult. But I took the challenge because I believed in it.”
Her supervisor eventually approved the research topic. During her study, she discovered that bamboo production in The Gambia remains very limited, with no large-scale bamboo plantations currently established in the country. Bamboo is mostly found in household compounds, where it is used for fencing and marking boundaries.
Finding bamboo sources for her research was also challenging, she said. Her search eventually led her to Mr. Darboe.
“Mr. Darboe gave me his card and suggested that I join the foundation,” she said. “That’s how I got here. Today, we are here to plant and propagate bamboo seedlings.”
Ms. Manneh believes the project has strong potential for success because bamboo is closely linked to climate action, an area that continues to attract funding and donor interest.
“When you look at bamboo, it is in the direction of climate change,” she said. “Right now, if you brand yourself well and reach the right donors, you can get support. I believe this project will be a great success in the future.”
She added that photos and videos from the bamboo planting activity in Dumbuto would be shared online to increase the foundation’s visibility, strengthen its public profile and help attract potential partners and funding.

18/08/2026

Community Voices: Multiple Uses of Bamboo

Members present spoke about the versatility of bamboo and why they believe it deserves national attention.

Lamin Darboe of Jarra Buiba and caretaker of the Dumbuto plantation said bamboo can be used for almost every aspect of construction.
“Planting bamboo is very important. You can use bamboo to build a house from the ground up to the finishing. Even you can use bamboo for roofing and for ceilings too. One can make cups, spoons, chairs, tables and so on,” he said.
He called on the Gambia government to invest more in bamboo planting, saying it could reduce pressure on natural forests.

18/08/2026

Nine Years of Advocacy

Speaking to members and guests, the Founder and President of the Bamboo Foundation, Omar Darboe, said the organization has spent nearly a decade advocating for the wider use and adoption of bamboo in The Gambia.

“Bamboo has a lot of economic and environmental importance. It also has health benefits and can contribute to youth employment, while helping to address land degradation and erosion,” Mr. Darboe said. “Anything that has to do with the environment, bamboo is good for it.”

He explained that Saturday’s tree-planting activity was not simply a celebration, but part of the foundation’s ongoing efforts to develop a bamboo plantation in Dumbuto. He also welcomed the growing public interest in bamboo and the foundation’s work.

“We are very happy to see more people becoming interested in bamboo and in the work of the foundation. They are now coming forward to support and participate,” he said.

Land Secured, but Funding Gap Remains

The foundation has secured 4.6 hectares of land in Dumbuto for the project. However, Mr. Darboe said funding and other resources remain major challenges.

“Our challenge is that we need funding because everyone participating in the foundation is a volunteer,” he said. “They volunteer their time to come here and work. We also need to support them with the limited resources we have, but unfortunately, those resources are not enough.”

He appealed to the government, donor partners, environmental organizations, and other stakeholders to support the foundation’s work so that it can expand its activities.

“There are many things we can do, including bamboo propagation, establishing education centres, developing tourism, conducting research, and providing education and training. But we cannot do all of this without support,” Mr. Darboe added.

17/08/2026

On celebration of our 9th year anniversary, Bamboo Foundation Gambia (BFG) conducted a bamboo planting event at the foundation's Plantation and Nursery Garden in Dumbuto this weekend. The event was attended by some members of the foundation. Planting bamboo seedlings in our plantation is not only an environmental activity, it is also an investment in communities' livelihoods, employment, land restoration, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

09/08/2026

Join us this Saturday in Dumbuto Village, kiang west district for our 9th year anniversary planting event 🎉

07/08/2026

Celebrating Our 9th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. We could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉 Join Us for our yearly Bamboo planting event for this year's in Dumbuto at the Bamboo Plantation and Nursery Garden. Date: 15th Of August 2026.

07/08/2026

We are Growing 💗 .

Less plastic. More bamboo. Cleaner communities — with local jobs that last.