Six more social businesses approved

Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus poses with the entrepreneurs of five newly launched social businesses. Photo: YUNUS CENTRE

Six more projects based on Prof Muhammad Yunus's social business concept yesterday received the green light for implementation.
The approval came at the 12th Yunus Centre Social Business Design Lab held at the Grameen Bank auditorium in Dhaka. Among the ventures are four projects launched by young entrepreneurs, who happen to be children of Grameen Bank families.
The projects are Talukdar Dairy Farm by Md Helal Uddin and Grameen Telecom Trust; Aminur Bamboo Mat Workers by Aminur Rahman and Grameen Byobasha Bikash; Shamim Cosmetics by Md Shamim Reza and Grameen Kalyan; and Jalal's Homemade Bags by Md Shariful Islam and Grameen Trust.
In addition, a social business of Hema Helal of Sneha Foundation to create employment and livelihood for Savar tragedy victims and another social business named 'Jyoti' by Nazmul Hossain Faruk for the visually impaired were also presented. With the help of Project Friend, these projects will be finalised for investment and implementation as next step, Yunus Centre said in a statement.
Prof Yunus said 58 social businesses have so far received approval for implementation, with 30 already operational now.
Over 200 participants from different organisations attended the lab, which included a delegation of 15 students from Peking University Business School, four faculty members of Malaysian university UKM, one representative from Monash University of Australia.
Over 1,250 participants from 76 countries also took part in the Design Lab via live-stream. The next edition will take place on March 15.