The contract for the construction of the bamboo storage has been given to Jan and his new company, DeBleen Ltd. Preparations for the construction are starting in Accra.
(Photo credit: DeBleen Ltd)

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Our donation campaign for the next construction phase in March is online: Donate now!

We are delighted to have gained socialarchitecture e.V. as a supporter and professional partner!
The non-profit organisation supports construction and planning projects to provide housing, schools and utility buildings in developing countries, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda. One focus is the reduction of inequality through better access to education, housing and basic services.

Homepage: https://www.social-architecture.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialarchitecture_e.v/

For our bamboo training centre in Guata, socialarchitecture e.V. is contributing 3,000 euros to the construction of the bamboo drying station, which will start in December. The organisation is also offering technical support for future construction phases. This co-operation not only strengthens the current construction phase, but also opens up new long-term perspectives. We are very pleased about this partnership!

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Our first online meeting with Jonathan takes place. As part of his bachelor’s thesis at the RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, he is developing a house made from renewable building materials in a modular construction system that is specially adapted to the climatic and socio-economic conditions in Ghana. This building will be constructed on the project site in Guata in March and will serve as accommodation for staff and guests of the bamboo training centre in the future. We look forward to working together and realising this innovative concept!

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Antonia is travelling to Ghana for several weeks to represent GROW Colourful Ghana e.V. (GCG) on site. After a few weeks in the office of our partner organisation ABC, she visits Ejura to collect data for a potential project site, strengthen networks with local stakeholders and promote the visibility of GCG in the region. These activities provide valuable insights into local conditions, create strategic partnerships and serve to prepare future projects. The measure is supported with 200 euros to cover transport, catering and material costs.

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We presented our info booth at the Cityfest in Herzebrock and enjoyed a great day full of dialogue and activities. We were particularly pleased with the great response to our offer to build your own bamboo bee hotel – only two of the 22 prepared construction kits remained. A big thank you to everyone who came along and made this day so special!

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Online meeting for the design presentation of the students of the seminar ‘Climate-friendly building’ of the Rhein-Main University of Applied Sciences in the summer semester 2024. The focus was on the design of the main hall of the bamboo training centre in Ghana. In close cooperation with GROW Colourful Ghana, a circular building was designed as a central meeting point and workshop area and initial implementation considerations were discussed. Part of the supporting structure is to be realised as a 1-to-1 model as part of the summer school.

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We are starting the tendering process for the urgently needed drying and storage area for treated bamboo on our project site in Guata. We still need around 4,000 euros to complete the operation of the treatment plant that has already been built. This infrastructure is essential to drive forward the next construction phases and promote the use of bamboo in the region in the long term. The designs are ready, we just need the money to realise them.

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Chris and Rabea visit the summer school on the HSRM campus in Wiesbaden and surprise the hard-working participants with ice cream. As part of the project, the ‘Bamboobar’ was built as a 1:1 mock-up for the concept designs of the Mainhall of the Bamboo Training Centre. The 13-square-metre pavilion made of bamboo, clay and wood uses various building and construction methods to gain practical experience with sustainable materials. The ‘climate swing’ from the previous year was dismantled, but the materials were sustainably reused.

We are launching our social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn! From now on, we will regularly share news and insights into our projects there – follow us to stay up to date!

• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Rabea represents Empowerment Bamboo at the ‘Bouw met Bamboe’ symposium in Rotterdam. The first of its kind in the Netherlands to focus on bamboo in architecture, construction and design. Expert presentations, workshops and an exhibition offer exciting insights and opportunities for dialogue.

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Two of our members, Robert and David, are taking on the role of assessors in order to support the organisation even more intensively in future. David would like to contribute his artistic skills in the area of media and publicity, while Robert is offering his manual skills for various construction work, such as building bamboo frames for our information boards. We are delighted with their commitment, as helping hands are always welcome. An assessor position is still open – anyone interested is welcome to contact us!

We are represented with an information stand at the European Bamboo Expo in Dortmund from 16 – 18 May, just like last year. This is a great opportunity to present our project in Ghana, make valuable contacts in the bamboo industry and gain new impetus from inspiring presentations by renowned bamboo experts.

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Our Annual General Meeting takes place. Martin Tiggemann is elected as the new 1st Chairman. An important step into a new era of our organisational management. This will allow Rabea to devote more time to her tasks as a project coordinator, as desired.

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Our annual report for 2023 is published: Download

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Great article by “Hessen schafft Wissen” about our cooperation with the Rhein-Main University of Applied Sciences and the construction of the bamboo training center in Ghana. The article highlights the synergies and impact of our joint projects.

Article: Looking into the future of social change

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Rabea takes part in the Haus des Stiftens webinar: “Remuneration in non-profit organizations”. Important insights into fair remuneration structures and their implementation.

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