The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, comprising 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015. It is especially relevant for the eight countries of South Asia including Bangladesh. Bangladesh has made notable progress in achieving the health-related MDGs by reducing maternal mortality rate, registering a number tumbled from 569 to 176 per 100,000 birth in 2015.
Grameen Telecom Trust is contributing to achieve SDGs, with its relevant programs and projects. The NU projects helps to create jobs, touching job-creating economic growth (SDG-8), which is critical to support the achievement of ending extreme poverty eradication (SDG-1).
Researchers suggest that every dollar spent on health brings more than $1.00 return by keeping people healthy and productive. One of the major concern of GTT is health for all (SDG-3), to give effort to achieve the goal, GTT has taken project of Grameen Eye Care Hospital in three districts- Thakurgaon, Bogra and Barisal. Since the starting of the operation the hospitals treated more than 1,033,110 patients in total. The Goals related to health (SDG-3) and education (SDG-4) are critical priorities. Through Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing (GCCN) young women from Grameen Bank borrower families in Bangladesh is getting the opportunity to study at a higher level and so break the cycle of early marriage, pregnancy and poverty while at the same time contributing towards an improvement in both the capacity and the capability of human resources for health.
To keep gender equality and women’s empowerment (SDG-5), GTT’s projects under NU program, women are given preference without age limit, whereas age for men is limited within 18-35. So far, 369 job has created under Nobin Udyokta- NU (New Entrepreneur) projects and 123 projects of women are invested. Under SBLIF projects, women are given trainings and employment opportunities.
In order to address the scarcity of drinkable water GTT has two projects- ‘Suvolong’ and ‘Shishir’. The projects addresses the drinking water crisis in the hill tracts of Rangamati and lives of the people living in arsenic contaminated areas in Mymensingh by delivering clean drinking water. It is a critical determinant for achieving the drinking water and sanitation for all (SDG-6).
Estimates suggest that three quarters of businesses in Bangladesh have been constrained by poor electricity supplies. Basic needs infrastructure, such as access to electricity (SDG-7) reaches only to 59.6% people (2016). ‘SDRS Solar Project’ under SBLIF program, focuses on assembling of solar power generation related instruments, promoting green energy, social and economic advancement. Improved access to electricity have been found to be associated with better educational outcomes.
