Little Bamboo Foundation
Development through education in the Philippines
Quotes and Comments
From sponsors
From staff members
Cope Family, London
Little Bamboo is one of those rare organisations that truly changes children’s lives. Not just in tiny degrees, but dramatically - giving them hope and prospects where previously they had none. What the team has achieved, despite limited resources, has been stunning. It has been a great pleasure for us to be associated with this project. Many thanks to you all!
Didier Cherpitel, Geneva
Former General Secretary of Red Cross International
Little Bamboo is a wonderful, pragmatic, efficient organization. It provides young children in need with a solid education base and great opportunities for their life.
Jean-René, his son Alexis and the Saillard family, Geneva
For some birthdays, instead of receiving gifts from their friends, our children will choose to organise a collection for the school. We are kept informed of the progress on a regular basis, receiving reports, drawings and photos of the Little Bamboo children.
I am also involved with several other charities and must say that Little Bamboo is very well organised and extremely efficient.
Helene Isselstein, London
Happy to be associated with Little Bamboo. I thought it was very easy to donate and user friendly
Johannes Kram, Berlin
Das hier ist keine abstrakte Organisation, kein Hilfswerk, null Alibi-Charity für weltanschauliche Gruppen. Es sind Kinder, in einer großartigen Stadt, die ich kenne, denen von großartigen Menschen, die ich kenne in einer kleinen, überschaubaren Einrichtung genau die Unterstützung bekommen, die sie benötigen...MORE
From the founder
How it all started, by Anne de Vesian von Bredow
Little Bamboo has been the most fulfilling project I have ever worked on.
In 2002, I knew I had been extremely privileged to have loving parents, and to grow up in a prosperous country such as France. I was 26 and had been an analyst for a stockbroker for four years, working long hours, and earning a good salary. I was looking for a greater purpose when I decided to do something that would change my life, and open my eyes and heart to the lives of those less privileged.
To cut a long story short, I applied to Enfants du Mekong, a French NGO sending volunteers to Asia. They asked me to raise money for my mission, which was to take care of a boarding house for college students sponsored by them.
Doing so I met one of the chief executives of a company I used to cover as an analyst. He asked me to set up an independent organization centered on education in Cebu. Working with young kids was my dream....
It is incredible that when you are on the “right” track, everything falls into place. We observed the people in the port area – who were receiving very little support at that time - to understand what their needs were. Then, money flowed (thanks to incredibly generous sponsors), fantastic people came together, we found a piece of land…and Little Bamboo was born. We started in a bamboo hut, and a year later moved to a proper school. That was already 10 years ago!
After almost 2 years in Cebu, I came back home. My father convinced me that I could be more helpful to the foundation from Europe (raising funds). I went back to finance and started a family. But part of my heart remains in the slums of Cebu, reminding me that we all connected and that we can all do something, even it is very, very small.
Manager, 57 years old My job in Little Bamboo is Heaven sent. It came at a time when I needed a job that didn’t require much travel, and Little Bamboo needed someone with experience in managing people and programs. I like working in Little Bamboo. When I go home, I feel I am making a difference in the lives of the people I work with and in the future of the children we work for, however big or small that difference may be.
Program in-Charge, Family Support, 35 years old The long engagement in Little Bamboo Foundation is perfectly a great chance to prove myself that I can be a channel of transformation to every individual I am working with. My skills in handling social issues and concerns lessen the burdens of the family and children we serve. It is also an encouragement for me to keep on inspiring and motivating people in need of guidance and counseling.
Scholarship in charge I have been working with Little Bamboo Foundation for nearly four months. I am very thankful for the opportunity to work with the foundation in helping the children. It has always been my passion to work with children and youth in helping them dream and realize their dreams in the future. By helping the children, I have been helping myself too in giving the best in me to have a fulfilling and satisfying job.
Family support staff, 21 To me, serving other people is what gives my life meaning; it gives me joy and satisfaction. I heard many times the value of contentment but I never learn to embrace it wholeheartedly, until I work here. Indeed, I am so much thankful for the experience I have while working in Little Bamboo Foundation for it molds me in becoming a better person.
Preschool Teacher, 43 years old I love my life now with my job, my family and friends. Many trials I have been encountered but I surpassed it all. I am much motivated with the children; all I want to do is to help the children and motivate them also to focus in their studies because I know they will have a bright future. I am happy to share my knowledge to them and very grateful to be part of Little Bamboo for eleven years now.
Preschool Teacher, 32 years old Little Bamboo helped me develop a strong foundation to my chosen profession. Teaching children is my passion because I can really feel the true happiness that makes me complete. I look forward for LBF to extend to the less fortunate children and families in our community we are serving. I am so thankful for the chance of working in this institution.
Preschool Teacher, 32 yrs.old It is my pleasure to say thank you to Little Bamboo because it helps me pursue my dream and passion as a teacher. For my three years of teaching, I have learned to relate with people and have grown as a mature individual serving the less privileged children and families. This makes me feel proud, contented and drives me more to teach and serve them. I hope for a continuing support and service
Preschool Teacher, 32 I consider Little Bamboo Foundation as my answered prayer for my job hunting after the earthquake destruction at my community in Bohol and Little Bamboo is my refuge for that tragedy. I am licensed teacher who was not able to practice the profession because I was employed to a different field. However, I am much thankful for my seven months of stay to all staff because I seriously learned a lot form them and apply it to my family and much to the less fortun.ate children
Preschool Teacher, 20 yrs. old I am grateful for the opportunity that comes in my life, grateful for Little Bamboo for trusting my capability to share what I have learned in my studies and for opening your door for me to grow not just a teacher but as a person. This has been my step to further my skills in teaching in more succeeding years to come. I am greatly honored to express my gratitude in behalf of my family’s joy of having me accepted here at Little Bamboo.
Scholarship staff I have been working for three years at Little Bamboo, I am happy with my job and to be with the children specially helping those who were neglected by their families. I hope I will be strong enough to continue my responsibilities with the children, and help them to be better individual.
Scholarship Team Assistant, 26 yrs. old Working at Little Bamboo Foundation is a great pleasure for me. The thing that I appreciate most with my work is that it gives me an opportunity to balance and manage my time at work and to be with my family. There is teamwork between Management Team and staff. Little Bamboo also gives me the opportunity to work with a pleasant environment and nice colleagues. I am proud to be part of Little Bamboo Family.
Cook, 41 yrs. old Little Bamboo inspires me to see how many little children the foundation have been helping everyday. As a cook, who is in-charge of preparing food for the children, it’s such a blessing to be part of the foundation’s advocacy to promote children’s welfare and rights. My motivation in working at Little Bamboo is to see more and more children being blessed by the foundation, including me, who in my small ways as a cook have already touched their lives.
Driver, 54 years old I am very much thankful and happy I have reach eleven years at Little Bamboo Foundation. I am thankful to our sponsors for supporting Little Bamboo and my family. I am very happy every time Anne comes to visit Little Bamboo because I can share my problems to her. Hoping I can work with Little Bamboo until I retire.
Maintenance, 26 yrs. old I am very much thankful and happy for the chance to be part of Little Bamboo. Little Bamboo is a great help for me especially financially, and most of all for the sponsorship of my daughter. God Bless and more power to the Management Team and to our benefactors.
Former Coordinator