Social Business on Safe Water and Three Social Business Centres launched at Design Lab; New Entrepreneurs cross 10,000
Yunus Centre Press Release (22 November 2016):
The 415th Social Business Design Lab organized by Yunus Centre took place on 22ndNovember 2016 at the Grameen Bank Auditorium with nearly 155 participants from national and international organizations attending. The Design Lab was chaired by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Five new Nobin Udyokta business plans were presented at today's Lab. All Nobin Udyokta businesses, presented at the Design Lab are the children of Grameen Bank borrowers’ families. These five plans included Putul Kutir Shilpa by Putul Rani, who has 15 years of experience in making traditional handicraft items. Rashid Cycle Storeproject was presented Md. Jewel Hossain who is expert in repairing bicycles and has decided to become an entrepreneur using his skill. Rina Rani Roy presented Prokriti Beauty Parlor project. Ms Rani, mother of one, is a trained beautician and determined to become a self reliant entrepreneur. Other two projects are Tanvir Garments by Nur Mohammad who is an entrepreneur with a physical disability and Shourav Tailros and Cosmetics by Mst. Shahina Begum.
An open social business project was presented at the design lab today. Shazeeb M Khairul Islam of Social Busienss Youth Alliance (SBYA) presented the project ‘YC Watersprint : A Social Business Ensuring Access to Safe Drinking Water for All’. The project will use a Swedish UV technology to purify river water into drinking water which is currently being field tested in Manikganj. SBYA Global and Grameen Telecom Trust will jointly implement the project.
All business plans were presented and discussed in detail. Those were then presented in groups for further review. All projects were approved for funding by their groups. The projects are joint ventures with social business funds and their progress will be monitored onwww.socialbusinesspedia.com.
Since the Labs began in January 2013, over 10,181 projects have been presented in the last 414 Lab programs, of which 10,156 projects have been approved for equity funding investments ranging from taka one lakh to five lakh for Nobin Udyokta projects. This design marked the milestone of more than 10,000 new enterpreneuers funded.
Three MOUs also signed today at the end of design lab. To set up ‘Yunus Social Business Centre (YSBC)’, Yunus Centre signed agreements with Daffodil International University, Bangladesh, King’s College, Nepal and Dhaka International University, Bangladesh. Each will create a center within their university to bring social business into their curriculum and courses.
A Joint Venture Agreement was also signed between Grameen Telecom Trust and ASHIKA to produce safe drinking water in Rangamati.
Professor Yunus thanked the participants and invited them to join next Social Business Design Lab which will take place on December 19, 2016.
Photo Caption 1: Investments into five New Entrepreneur (NU) projects were announced on Thursday at the 415th Social Business Design Lab. The New Entrepreneurs, children of Grameen Bank borrowers are seen in the photo with Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. This Lab marked crossing 10,000 new entrepreneurs financed from Grameen's Nobin Udyokta fund.
Photo Caption 2: Project of New Entrepreneur Putul Rani, who is seen holding traditional handmade fish-trap along with Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, was approved for investment at the 415th Social Business Design Lab on 22nd November 2016.
Photo Caption 3: An MoU is signed between Yunus Centre and Kings College, Nepal for the setting up of a Yunus Social Business Centre (YSBC) during 415th Social Business Design Lab on 22nd November 2016.
Photo Caption 4: An MoU is signed between Yunus Centre and Dhaka International University(DIU) for the setting up of a Yunus Social Business Centre (YSBC) during 415th Social Business Design Lab on 22nd November 2016.
Source: Yunus Centre
Updated Date: 23rd January, 2017