CSR News

Sponsoring Bangladesh Special Olympics Team

Grameenphone partnered with Special Olympics Bangladesh to sponsor the Bangladeshi team's participation in the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2007 - the world’s largest sporting event for intellectually-challenged athletes. More than 7,000 athletes from 165 countries took part in the event. The Bangladesh Team performed exceptionally well, winning 71 medals in total. Grameenphone believed in them and they have proven that they deserve the same opportunities and experiences as others.

 ‘Being respectful’ is one of our values and we champion it by empowering these athletes to live up to their full potential. We strongly believe that people with intellectual disabilities are far more capable than commonly believed. Hence we will also assist in organizing talent hunts to search for athletes who will represent Bangladesh in future Special Olympics Games.

GP provides employment to Acid Victims

Grameenphone, in partnership with Acid Survivors' Foundation (ASF), is working towards rehabilitation of acid victims and has already provided employment opportunities to six acid victims within the company.  These individuals are also being provided with adequate training to help them develop the necessary skills to take on their new responsibilities in the company.

ASF is a non-profit NGO working to eliminate acid violence from Bangladesh. Grameenphone also provided financial assistance to ASF for building awareness against acid violence.

GP sets up blood Bank for TMSS

Grameenphone is assisting Thengamara Mohila Sabuj Sangha (TMSS), to establish a full-fledged blood bank at one of TMSS’ health initiatives, the Rafatullah Community Hospital in Bogra.
TMSS is a national NGO which works towards family development through women empowerment. TMSS works in all six administrative divisions and in 63 districts, covering 234 upazillas across the country.
The Blood Bank will ensure safe and hygienic blood transfusion for patients requiring blood at the hospital.

 Grameenphone to support Ashokti Punorbashon Nibash (APON)

On 6th September 2007 Grameenphone entered into a CSR partnership with Ashokti Punorbshon Nibash (APON), an NGO that provides treatment and rehabilitation support for the drug addicts. Ashokti Punorbashon Nibash (APON) is a non-profit NGO, established in 1994, with a purpose of providing treatment and rehabilitation support for drug addicts in Bangladesh. Since its inception, APON has admitted more that 1,450 drug users along with hundreds others who came to the center or called for counseling and information. Additionally, over 30,000 family members have received support from APON.

Through this partnership, Grameenphone will provide the necessary support for the construction of a skill development center at APON’s drug rehabilitation centre, Apongaon, in Manikganj. Grameenphone will also provide an alternative income generating stream for the centre through the establishment of a Grameenphone Community Information Center (CIC).

Free Eye Care camps

On July 9, Grameenphone formalized a CSR Partnership with Sightsavers International, an organization committed to fighting blindness in developing countries. The objective of the partnership is to provide free eye-care services to the economically disadvantaged across Bangladesh, where the majority of the population do not have access to primary healthcare services.

Grameenphone have already arranged four eye-camps in different part of the country. As of October 2007, over 4,200 patients have received free prescriptions for refractive error and over 580 patients have been administered free Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) or cataract surgery. This initiative will continue in the future as well.

GP sets up CIC for the CSRD

On 6th July 2007, Grameenphone has established a Community Information Centre (CIC), providing access to the Internet and other information based services, for the Caring Society for Rural Distressed (CSRD) in Rajbari
CSRD is a Non-Government Organization that conducts free Friday clinics, providing primary healthcare to the economically disadvantaged community. The CIC established by Grameenphone will make CSRD self-sufficient by serving as an alternate source of income.

Grameenphone has borne all the expenses of establishing the CIC. It should be noted in the past CSRD ran its operation with donations received from various sources. However, with the establishment of the CIC, the NGO will now be able to bear some of its own expenses.
A Grameenphone CIC is equipped with the minimum of a computer, a printer, a scanner, a web cam and an EDGE-enabled modem to access the Internet using Grameenphone’s nationwide EDGE connectivity. CICs are designed to be run independently as small businesses by local entrepreneurs.

 Grameenphone hands over 100 rickshaws in Sylhet

Grameenphone, on June 28, 2007, presented ownership papers and documents for the handing over of 100 rickshaws to the Green Disabled Foundation, Sylhet Foundation and Mukti-Joddha Sangsad in Sylhet.
Green Disabled Foundation and Sylhet Foundation work towards the welfare of blind and disabled people whereas; Mukti-Joddha Sangsad works towards the welfare of poor Freedom Fighters, as well as the blind and disabled slum dwellers in Sylhet.

The 100 rickshaws were donated as alternative income streams for these non-profit organizations which they may use for various development initiatives.