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Breaking News: Türkiye appoints Samed Ağırbaş as COP31 Climate High-Level Champion. Read it here.
Parts of this site were translated using AI. Accuracy may vary.
Friday, 7 November 2025 | By Climate High-Level Champions
NAME
Bruno Ferreira
TITLE
Co-founder, Food Bank of Bolivia
LOCATION
Cochabamba, Bolivia
ABOUT
Bruno Ferreira is the Co-founder and project coordinator of the first and only Food Bank of Bolivia, a non-profit foundation that rescues surplus food before it becomes waste and distributes it to vulnerable populations experiencing undernourishment. In 2023 alone, the organization prevented 570 tonnes of food loss and waste, serving around 40,000 people.
MOTIVATION
“Since university, I participated in and organized social and environmental activities with my friends, but once we asked ourselves how to make a real and lasting change in our society, we decided to start a food bank from scratch – the first and only one in our country.
We are driven by the smiles of children who try food for the first time, and the relief of families who don’t have to worry so much about food, as well as knowing that we are reducing the environmental impact that food loss and waste produce.
We were still small when lockdown started due to Covid, but many more people needed support. We weren’t well known then, but because of our work, public and private organizations reached out to collaborate with us to get food and medicine to vulnerable communities. We delivered, we scaled up our operations exponentially, we became better known and built partnerships; all because we didn’t give up against a challenge as big as the pandemic.”
IMPACT
In Bolivia, 19.4% of the population suffers from undernourishment, while one-third of all food is lost or wasted. As of August 2024, Bruno’s food bank has rescued over 1,800 tonnes of food, reaching 40,000 beneficiaries.
The organization combines food rescue with civil engagement through volunteering and donations, alongside parallel projects such as a composting plant and a dehydration plant to ensure nothing goes to waste.
Its work has led to collaborations with the Bolivian government and its national FAO to develop a law incentivizing food donations and discouraging waste.
CHALLENGES
“The first major challenge we faced was the pandemic. As a new organization, we had limited reach and capacity. When the crisis hit, many people came to us for support, and we had to adapt and overexert ourselves to reach as many as possible. That challenge led to exponential growth and coverage.
Our current issue is the economic crisis in Bolivia, which affects the food industry and individuals alike. We are receiving fewer donations and are seeking new approaches, such as relying more on farmers and international support.”
ADVICE
“First, start small. Big changes don’t happen quickly. Begin with small activities and scale up with your experience and partners. Second, don’t be afraid to ask for support from everyone you can. Maybe most will say no, but if even one says yes, it can help catapult your dream much faster.”
CONTACT
