Sixteen Thousand New Youth Entrepreneur Funded

Yunus Centre Press Release (17 May, 017)

Six New Business Launched at  583rd Social Business Design Lab

The 583rd  Social Business Design Lab organized by Yunus Centre took place on 17th May 2017 at the Grameen Bank Auditorium with nearly 150 national and international participants from India, Japan, USA, Brazil and Singapore. The Design Lab was chaired by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Six new Nobin Udyokta (or New Entrepreneur) business plans were presented at today's Lab. The business plans included two tailoring shops, two poultry farms, one leather item producing shop and a fancy shop.

Mahi Ladies and Gents Tailors project was presented by Kalim Ullah. With seven years of experience, Mr. Kalim his dreams to expand the business and give employment opportunity to other youngsters his area. A.H Agro farm project was presented by Mr. Atiqur Rahman who has been doing a very new business in the poultry sector, where he is farming on turkey birds and creating a new source of fresh meat and egg for people. The significant feature of his business is he attracts customers online using social media platforms. Mr. Dipjol Das presented his leather workshop at the design lab. He prepares tube- well washer from buffalo leather and sales in wholesale market.  Mon Mohoni store was presented by Mr Sumon Chakrabarty, a skilled craftsman bamboo and paper made fancy products which are used specially in marriage ceremonies, birthdays and puja festivals. He representing hindu communities and their culture through his craftsmanships. Fahim Tailoring was presented by a very enthusiastic woman Farjana Begum, a skilled tailor creating baby clothes which has significant demand all around the year specially during festival times. Lastly, Harun Poultry Farm was presented by Mr Harounur Rashid, he is meeting the growing demand of fowl or chicken meat for people. All six entrepreneurs are children coming from Grameen Bank families.

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 on www.socialbusinesspedia.com.

Since the Labs began in January 2013, there are now more than sixteen thousand projects which have been approved in the last 582 Lab programs for equity funding ranging from taka one lakh to five lakh. A total of taka 170 crore has been invested in these projects.

A social business was launched at today’s design lab. SHISHIR, a clean & safe drinking water solution in a jar for consumption, produced  in a sustainable way using river water. SHISHIR is established to improve the lives of the people living in areas where water is contaminated by arsenic by delivering clean drinking water at their doorsteps. This is a venture by YY Goshti which is a social business incubator helping young people shaping their ideas into viable social businesses.

Before closing, Professor Muhammad Yunus invited everyone to the 7th Social Business Day, an annual global conference organized by Yunus Centre, to bring together all social business experts around the world, to be held on July 28-29, 2017 in Dhaka on the theme “Can Wealth Concentration Be Stopped?" Products of  new entrepreneurs will be displayed  to national and international audience.

The next Social Business Design Lab will take place on 19th August, 2017.