Can you visit a doctor for 1 cent? Every year, Bidyanondo is looking for initiatives to improve well being, from the creators of the 1 taka meal, we innovated the 1 cent medical services. Bidyanondo intends to to break the cycle of superstition and quackery in health practices, and to make modern health care more accessible and acceptable. We are the first to promote a countrywide campaign of healthcare for only a cent. Thanks to the affordability many are trying this out and seeing the benefit of modern health care in place of the shamanic healing they were used to. We want to share our adventures with you and we hope to inspire many of you to make better stories!
Dr. Asma Akther is a household name when it comes to healthcare for underprivileged women in Bangladesh. In a country where superstition and quackery are rampant in women’s healthcare despite record progress, Dr Asma is fighting to save lives of expectant mothers and newborns in slums and villages. Under her leadership, “One Glass Milk” project, has been providing nutrition to expecting mothers, which was able attract attention from many government and non-government organizations.
Her organization Bidyanondo Foundation has been credited for launching innovative and popular “1 cent Treatment “program in Bangladesh. Dr. Asma’s team also recognized for the Corona hospital and the floating hospital for underprivileged coastal communities.
Calling her a warrior would not be an overstatement. Rakhima Khatun, after completing higher education dedicated her life to women empowerment. In a country where the economy is heavily dependent on garments industries, it’s not uncommon to see the careers of female workers coming to a halt after giving birth. Support and absence of affordable daycare is the key reason for many to lose jobs. To secure continuation of economic freedom for these helpless post-natal women, Rakhima is a force establishing female-friendly garments were the distressed women are getting a chance to turn around again.
Besides this, she has also led initiatives to manufacture and distribute affordable sanitary pads to help many young girls having a safer and healthier period.
Shipra Das grew up in a society where women's education wasn’t a norm. She dedicated her career for women’s empowerment and education with the determination to bring a day where no girl is deprived of their right to education. With her organization the Bidyanondo Foundation she established training centres in the world's largest refugee camp empowering many women for years. In a place where women were trapped into prostitution, she is showing a way to break this cycle with financial independence.
She also established the very first women’s hotel, working for women empowerment and raising awareness against child marriage.