Sahabat Bamboo started working with bamboo based on facts of abundant bamboo resources in Indonesia. There are approximately 1,250 species of bamboo in the world, at least 140 species or 11% grow in Indonesia. Indonesia has been using bamboo for a long time. To bulid houses, furniture, farm tools, crafts, musical instruments, and even for food.
On the other hands, bamboo is still seen as "material belonging to the poor ". Sahabat Bamboo intended to change the image of bamboo by producing better quality products that are beautiful, strong, and durable and can be accepted for any modern buildings.
Our first bamboo treatment facility was built just after the earth quakes struck Yogyakarta in May 2006. During the times of emergency relief and reconstruction after the earthquake in Yogyakarta, many national and international agencies use bamboo to make homes, schools, community halls and other buildings. The use of bamboo on a large scale for earthquake victims in Yogyakarta and its surroundings has increased concern about its sustainability. Untreated bamboo stucture was not last very long because of powder bettle investation. Bamboo clumps was massively clear cut to fulfill the needs of temporary structures. Sahabat Bamboo in cooperation with local bamboo farmers, artisan and NGO's initate an integrated bamboo development plan, which was then supported by UNIDO by sponsoring the construction of facilities in Cebongan village, and then later by USAID-SENADA project, to promote a more sustainable bamboo utilization.