Who we are
At the heart of Bamboo Bridge is this conviction: we are all bridges for someone. Each of us has the capacity to effect profound change in the lives around us. We encourage everyone to explore, discover, and realize how powerful and important they truly are.
We have seen that lasting transformation is always relational and personal. It requires those being helped to be included, encouraged, and empowered to take responsibility for their own lives.
Love and care can only be personal; they are inefficient, costly, slow, and difficult to measure. Yet they are the only way we have seen that brings about true and lasting change in a person’s life. And so, this is the way we choose to live and work.
The bamboo bridge meaning
The Bamboo symbolises ordinary people. On our own we are good, but together we are even stronger and more useful.
The bridges we build are small, simple and represent change: from struggle to new life, from weakness to strength.
Some believe only great power can overcome the evils and injustices of the world. We too believe in great power—but we have discovered it often comes through the everyday deeds of ordinary people, giving a smile, holding a hand, sharing a meal, educated a mind or simply a listening ear. We have found all of these things release a great power that can turn a life around and shed light into the darkest places.
We cannot "fix" people.
We believe our role isn’t to “fix” or carry people, but rather to walk alongside them—offering support, encouragement, and care—until they are able and strong enough to walk confidently on their own... The most effective way we have found to do this is relational.
We have seen first-hand that the foundation for real, permanent change is built when people experience consistent love and care, while being empowered and encouraged to take responsibility for their own lives and families. This long term transformation is what we aim for.
Here is an example of what we mean.
The first single Mum we worked with is named Trang. She has three daughters, and her dream was that they grew up to be nothing like her. She desperately wanted them to have an education and a safe, stable home. At the time, she was living in a riverside hut in District 4, an area prone to flooding, in unsanitary conditions, unsafe for young children.
We visited Trang every two weeks for over six years. We tried to help her in numerous practical ways: providing food, milk, diapers, helping with rent, hospital bills, glasses, and other essential needs. Earlier this year, Trang asked us if we knew what the best thing we had done for her. We didn’t know the answer. She told us she appreciated all the practical support, but the most important thing we did for her, was give her our love and care, and that we never gave up on her… Because we didn't give up, she never gave up on herself.
We did relatively little to help her, but that little helped her to keep going. Which led her to paying off, very slowly, her huge debt, moving to a safe house and getting her kids into school. Trang now introduces us to other people in need of that same love and care.
In the picture below, Trang is on the bottom right side.
