Grameen Telecom Trust (GTT) has signed a joint venture agreement with SKS Foundation, aiming to create income and wealth for ultra poor people in Gaibandha district under a social business project.
Managing Director of GTT Parveen Mahmud and chief executive officer of SKS Foundation Rasel Ah-med Liton signed the agreement on the project titled “SKS Social Business Project” to work on gener-ating contract farming of sheep rearing by the ultra poor people.
After concluding the 7th Yunus Centre Social Business Design Lab in the capital’s Yunus Centre, the signing ceremony was held with participation by high officials of both of the organisation.
GTT will work as the lead investor while SKS Foundation will serve as its partner. Under the project, 150 ultra poor households will be given 750 sheep over the next four years. They will generate about 3,500 sheep with this project.
Each family will generate about 23 sheep, of which 12-13 will remain with them and the rest will be re-turned to the project for generating revenue. It is expected that the income and wealth of these ultra poor people will rise by Tk20,000 in the next four years.
The programme also announced commencement of JMI telemedicine project – another social business project.
The 7th Yunus Centre Social Business Design Lab, the core programme of the day, was participated by stakeholders, business personnels and social business entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds.
The Yunus Centre Social Business Design Lab is a meeting place for different type of people who came here with diverse backgrounds having the goal of developing social business for the betterment of the society.
The programme presented six social business plans – proposed Coco-pith Plastic Compound (CPPS) industry at Bagerhat, potential advancement network and hub (PANAH), social business for vulnerable women in Rakibnagar under Tangail district, and three Nobin Uddogta projects namely – Saiyada Krishi Farm, Fahim Fish Farming, and Adarsha Livestock Farm.
Participants presented their social business plans at the programme and held group discussions where important recommendations were discussed and the participants came up with time-bound action programme.
Nobel laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus chaired the session. He said that social business has been adopted in many parts of the world to address the emerging economic problems.
“Today’s programme is important because we have three young entrepreneurs (Nobin Uddokta), and there are thousands of such people. If you have an idea and potentiality, there are many people to sponsor your idea,” he said.
Dr Yunus thanked the participants for their innovative projects and encouraged them saying: “We will support the projects whichever way possible.”
The first Design Lab was held in January 2013. Since then, the Yunus Centre has been organising the Lab once a month. The next session will be held on September 13.
