Danish bike project to support poor children in Bangladesh
A Danish company has launched a fair trade project in Bangladesh with a plan to support poor children with educational expenses and food.
Under the project, Asian Nordic Group, with the help of local suppliers, will manufacture bicycles in Bangladesh for exports to 29 European nations as well as the United States and Canada.
“Each bike sold will pay a child's schooling for one year including a meal per day,” Henrik Bach, managing director of Asian Nordic Group, said yesterday.
“The project is the first of its kind anywhere in the world,” Bach said at the launch of the project at the Danish ambassador's residence in Dhaka.
Bangladesh's Pran-RFL Group will make bicycles named “b'fair” for Asian Nordic Group. The first shipment is scheduled to reach Denmark within three months.
“The b'fair bike is more than just a bike. It is part of a sustainable programme built on fair trade principles. It is environmentally-friendly and supports vulnerable children's schooling in Bangladesh,” said Danish Ambassador Hanne Fugl Eskjær.
Each bike will sell for $800. The company plans to raise the yearly export figure to 30,000 units of bikes.
“It creates opportunities, freedom and a future for disadvantaged children in one of the world's poorest countries,” said Bach. “The more we sell, the more children we will be able to help,” said Bach.
The bike is designed by Tobias Jacobsen, the grandson of famous Danish designer Arne Jakobsen. Martin Sylvest, Danish bicycle engineer, is the technical engineer of the b'fair bike.
Promod Mankin, state minister for social welfare, who launched the project along with Bach and the ambassador, thanked Asian Nordic Group for taking up the initiative.
Agape Social Concern, a non-governmental organisation working to promote child education in Bangladesh, will work as a local partner to manage the project.
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