DHAKA: The successful corporate social responsibility (CSR) intervention has proved effective in improving the living standard of the underprivileged people.

Planned CSR intervention is cost effective, need-based and community-focused that helps uplift the poor.

Speakers made the observations at a function to mark the launching of stipends for school students at Basatpur in Jessore Thursday.

The stipends are parts of a CSR program of City Bank Limited initiated by Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) and implemented by local daily Gramer Kagoj.

A total of 70 boys and girls from 1st to 10th grade received the first installment of the stipend at the function. This stipend program will continue for five years.

Stipend recipients are the children of the members of Basatpur Women and Child Development Organization that runs a skill development training centre for women under the same program.

Deputy Commissioner of Jessore Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir was the chief guest while ATM Shariful Alam, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Sharsha, Jessore; Sakina Khatun, District Women’s Affairs Officer; Zahirul Islam, PMP, FVP and Head of Project Management Office, City Bank; Mobinul Islam Mobin, Editor, Gramer Kagoj and Hasibur Rahman, Executive Director, MRDI attended the program as special guests.

Dr. Kabir thanked City Bank and MRDI for taking the step for the vulnerable people of a remote area. “Education is the backbone of a nation. This initiative is an example of how business can stand beside government programs,” he added.

MRDI Executive Director Hasibur Rahman said, “The scholarships will help better schooling and coaching of the children of these underprivileged people of the area. This will also showcase that sustainable effort can bring changes”.

“Such interventions of City Bank Ltd. have shown that CSR fund can replace development fund,” he added.

The training centre at Basatpur has opened opportunities for trained women to earn their livelihood through using tailoring and stitching. City Bank's is providing about Tk. 1.25-crore both for the centre and the stipends.

BDST: 1735 HRS, MAY 21, 2015
SR/SMS