When Bambu founder Shad first put down roots in Tzununá, he admired the natural beauty of Lake Atitlán, as well as the warmth and resilience of the Mayan community in Tzununá.

Over time, he also witnessed firsthand the environmental pressures threatening the lake’s watershed and the economic challenges facing local families. In 2019, driven by a sense of responsibility to both the land and the people, he founded Wellkind, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental restoration and community economic development.

Wellkind’s reforestation program has planted many thousands of native trees throughout the Lake Atitlán watershed, working alongside community members to restore and protect this precious ecosystem. Every tree planted is a small act of healing for a lake that has provided for many generations of inhabitants.

At the Bambu, we believe that travel should leave a place better than you found it, and our partnership with Wellkind is one way we live that out. Groups and guests are invited to participate in a tree planting service project and/or to make a donation to Wellkind.