Frequently Asked Questions
General
Is Bamboo Builders a For-profit or Non-profit?
Bamboo Builders is a social enterprise. A social enterprise is a hybrid between a for-profit and a non-profit. For-profit to keep our social impact sustainable/scalable and non-profit because we are a for-purpose company with a social mission. Social enterprises have been found to be the most effective solution to solving the world’s largest problems. Pioneering a new frontier, social entrepreneurs are innovating the way business is performed to focus on the triple bottom line: People, Planet, and Profit.
Is Bamboo Builders affiliated to any organization?
No. We are an independent social venture working at the grassroots level, powered not by funds or big establishments but by passionate Builders and a heart to reach areas currently not helped by clunkier organizations.
Why are you called Bamboo Builders?
"Bamboo" because the plant has many admirable attributes we'd like to nurture in our participants. For instance, bamboos grow fast and strong, they grow in clusters and never alone, they may bend but don't break.
"Builders" simply because we build communities through building lives!
Where is Bamboo Builders located?
We are headquartered in Singapore but have impact teams in the Indochina region to support our community development work there.
Can I donate to Bamboo Builders?
Of course!
You may donate to UEN 53399391A or through the PayNow QR code below. More details on how the funds will be used can be found in our Donations page under 'Contribute Now.'
Program
When will the upcoming overseas trip take place?
The next program is set to take place after COVID.
What is the plan for this coming June trip?
We intend to split the entire group of Builders into two sub-groups:
The first group will be conducting the same program as what we did in June 2018 with new students at the local high school. This ensures there is continuity to the number of students that benefitted from the program. We will train these youths in soft-skills, design thinking, and mindset change through project-based learning method. Also, we will continue to work with TDG Origins' honey business in Myanmar and expand to its capital city.
The second group will be working with the students from the June 2018 program to create strategies, structures and operating procedures to ensure the long-term sustainability of the 4 project ideas. Besides, we will also conduct advanced training modules for these local youths.
What locations are covered for this upcoming trip?
All builders will meet at Yangon, Myanmar first to gel, finalize lesson plans and attend training sessions.
Why should I join as a Builder?
Through our 2 week programme, Builders gain the following:
Experience in Design Thinking
Learn this systematic, human-centred, creative-thinking methodology to solve complex problems. This highly-demanded skill will help you analyze complex issues and design solutions ground-up.
Cultural Immersion
Living with a bunch of other undergrads can be lots of fun! More importantly, you get to see their daily habits & culture up-close and personal.
Explore exotic locations accessible only through local connections! E.g. Go hiking, join cooking class, learn to play an ethnic folk song using traditional instruments etc.
Create real social impact, ground-up.
Co-create with us our curriculum and even content, making sure students absorb more. Builders are not just impacting the lives of the 30-odd students in class. These students will eventually go on to become successful, and that creates a ripple-effect, narrowing the educational inequality gap.
Who is this program for?
Our project can be a good fit for the following groups of audience
-Budding social entrepreneurs or social innovators who want to gain further exposure in this emerging field
-Educators at heart who want to learn more about facilitation in education and have hands-on practice on designing curriculum
-Design thinking enthusiasts who want to become better problem solvers using Design Thinking methodology
-Culture geeks who want to have cross-cultural, immersive experience
-Self-explorers who want to understand yourself better through a new, life-enriching experience
What are the requirements to qualify for being a Builder?
All we expect from a Builder is a good heart, a strong desire to share, an open-minded and learning attitude, and an agile mindset. Having some experience in community service and/or extracurricular activities would be a plus. In addition, having a good command of english is also expected since english is the main language in communication.
How can I help?
Each Builder will undertake both training-related and administrative roles:
As facilitator/mentor:
Working with fellow Builders to come up with key learning takeaways and creative activities to support our tailored content, and directly host training sessions on site.
Instructing and facilitating the students in training sessions about Design Thinking, soft-skills, and mindset change (the three core pillars of our curriculum).
Sharing your experiences/best-practices (e.g. how you manage your time). More importantly, we want you to develop in the process. So please offer whatever skills/strengths you have to build change better!
As project administrator:
Taking ownership of one of these functional areas: marketing/media, program coordination, welfare, logistics, impact measurement, outreach, and so on. Through working on these functions and taking initiatives, you can hone your project management skills.
What form of training sessions are required from Builders?
Here at Bamboo Builders, we believe in a learning by doing approach. We will first equip you with Design Thinking knowledge (theory). Then, we have our signature on-the-ground Design Thinking challenge where we go through the entire Design Thinking process in a day (application), then the actual facilitation, where you will still no doubt learn!
What is the timeline for the December trip?
Sept 2018: Pre Trip Activity
* Pair up with undergrads from abroad, design hands-on sessions: soft-skill/mindset/personal awareness
Oct - Nov 2018: Facilitation & Design Thinking Training
Dec 2018: 2 Weeks Program
Jan 2019: Post Trip - Follow-up with students, continue being a mentor
Can I join the Explore trip as a group?
Yes you can. We are also open for group bookings as well!
How often does each Equip session take place?
Our Equip Program happens alternate months, i.e. Facilitation modules happen in January, March etc while our Public Speaking modules happen in February, April etc.
What time are Equip sessions usually held?
It differs for the various modules.
Facilitation 101: 9.30-10.30
Facilitation 102: 10.45-11.45
Facilitation 103: 1.30-2.30
How long is each Equip session?
Each session last for 1 hour!
Can I apply for an Equip session if I am working full-time?
Of course you can apply. Our sessions are usually held on weekends to cater both working adults and students.
Others
How can I get my inquiries resolved?
Feel free to shoot us an email to hello.bamboobuilders@gmail.com or personal message us on these social media channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bamboobuilders/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bamboobuilders/
