Bambuhay
Turning Bamboo into Green Livelihoods in the Philippines
Factbox
Location
Nueva Ecija, Philippines
Grant Period
Jan 2024 - Dec 2024
Grant Amount
PHP 890,000
Beneficiaries
41 Families
Focus Area
Overview
Bambuhay transforms bamboo into sustainable products that fight plastic pollution and create new livelihoods for Indigenous and marginalized communities in rural Philippines. Through innovative circular design and community training, the social enterprise empowers families to earn fair incomes while protecting the planet.
Impact At A Glance
- Expanded production capacity by 10 times with AirAsia Foundation’s grant
- 24 farmers trained in bamboo propagation, maintenance, and harvesting
- 68 families lifted out of poverty with higher and more stable incomes
- 1,100 tons of plastic waste eliminated and 712 hectares of deforested land regenerated
The Challenge
Every year, an estimated 16 billion plastic toothbrushes end up in landfills worldwide. In the Philippines alone, more than 340 million toothbrushes are discarded annually.
According to a Plastic Polluters study, the country ranks among those with the highest plastic waste emissions into the ocean, at 3.3 kilograms per person each year.
At the same time, the province of Nueva Ecija faces deep rural poverty. Many farmers earn less than PHP 3,000 a month, forcing them into environmentally harmful practices such as slash-and-burn farming, charcoal making, and deforestation. Over time, these cycles of poverty and ecological degradation have eroded both livelihoods and the land itself.
The Solution
Bambuhay transforms bamboo — and lives — by turning a local natural resource into sustainable products and fair-trade livelihoods.
To tackle plastic pollution, deforestation, and poverty simultaneously, Bambuhay trains Indigenous and rural farmers to cultivate and harvest bamboo as a sustainable livelihood alternative. The enterprise began by training poor farmers in Carranglan to become bamboo farmers and harvesters, providing them with a sustainable alternative to slash-and-burn farming and charcoal production.
Their journey started with bamboo straws as a simple but effective replacement for single-use plastic. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the market, Bambuhay pivoted to produce bamboo toothbrushes and later developed an innovative plantable toothbrush that could be returned or planted after use, encouraging a circular product model.
As demand grew, Bambuhay established a processing facility within rural communities, allowing farmers to supply and process bamboo locally. However, limited access to electricity and water supply made it difficult to keep up with increasing demand. To continue growing their impact, they needed better infrastructure and equipment to strengthen production capacity and support more farmers.
The Grant with AirAsia Foundation
AirAsia Foundation’s grant helped Bambuhay expand its production capacity tenfold and train more bamboo farmers to meet growing demand.
To achieve this, the foundation provided funding to:
- Purchase additional machines and install facilities to ensure a stable flow of electricity and water, increasing production output by tenfold
- Train 24 farmers in bamboo propagation, maintenance, and harvesting so that more families can benefit from sustainable livelihoods
This support allows Bambuhay to strengthen its environmental and social mission, helping more communities earn dignified incomes while reducing plastic waste and promoting reforestation across the Philippines.
Gallery
The Organisation
Bambuhay
Founded in 2017, Bambuhay is committed to building regenerative communities and innovating products that cause no harm to people or the planet. By combining bamboo and technology, the enterprise tackles major challenges such as plastic pollution, deforestation, climate change, and poverty.
Bambuhay works closely with Indigenous Peoples, slash-and-burn farmers, charcoal makers, solo parents, out-of-school youth, former rebels, and women by training them to grow and harvest bamboo and providing them with jobs in sustainable product manufacturing.
To date, 68 families have escaped poverty, raising their monthly income from below PHP 3,000 to more than PHP 10,000. These families now have access to social benefits, financial services, electricity, and education. Environmentally, Bambuhay has eliminated 1,100 tons of plastic waste, prevented 6,600 tons of CO₂ emissions, and regenerated 712 hectares of deforested land.
Team Leader
Mark Sultan Gersava
Mark Sultan Gersava is a social entrepreneur, climate change advocate, peacebuilder, and innovator who serves as an Executive Member of the National Innovation Council. With more than 15 years of experience in research, innovation, and social entrepreneurship, he has dedicated his career to solving the interconnected issues of poverty, deforestation, and plastic waste.
Growing up in a family of slash-and-burn farmers living below the poverty line in a conflict-ridden province, Mark experienced firsthand the challenges that drive unsustainable practices. His experiences inspired him to create Bambuhay - a solution in achieving peace, addressing poverty, deforestation and plastic pollution through social entrepreneurship.
Social Enterprise
