Bangladesh

  • Inhabitants: 163 million
  • Annual income per capita: 4 560 USD
  • 40% of kids under 5 years are suffering from anemia (WHO – 2016)
  • 22% of preschool-age also have Vitamin-A deficiency (WHO – 2016)
  • Moderate and severe underweight prevalence is 22.6 % in 2019. Similarly, moderate and severe stunting rate is 28% in 2019. (UNICEF-2019)
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In Bangladesh, one out of two children suffer from malnutrition, so it’s very hard for them to reach their full physical and mental potential. Eating well enables children to grow, develop good memory and maximize their learning at school, which prepares them for a bright future – for themselves and for their country.

That’s why the Grameen Danone Foods team developed Shokti +, a yoghurt enriched with micronutrients (iron, Iodine, zinc, vitamin-A) that helps to fulfil the children’s nutritional needs.

Grameen Danone Foods is also a source of income for the inhabitants of surrounding villages: the small farmers sell their milk to the company and women with no resources earn an income by selling the yogurts door-to-door. Grameen Danone Foods also supports 100 van pullers by giving them insurance, sales training, and revenue stability.

300,000

beneficiaries

500

farmers living better by selling their milk to Grameen Danone

350+

jobs created

Nafisa

Shokti+ Lady, Entrepreneur, Bogra, Bangladesh

When the roosters start to announce the first light Nafisa already finished preparing roti and eggs for her family. She lives in the Northern Bangladeshi village, in a small tiny house together with her husband, their son, his wife and a lovely Rahim, her grandson. Today is a special day, as Rahim is going to school for the first time. She has arranged a special treat for him – Shokti+ yoghurt – for Rahim to grow up healthy.

After all the family leaves home, Nafisa takes her bag and walks to the village crossroad to meet Asadul, the rickshaw van driver who delivers a fresh batch of Shokti+ for Nafisa to sell in the neighbourhood villages. This is a unique opportunity for Nafisa to gain some income and help to support her family. She knows Asadul since he was very small boy and she is happy that he found a regular job in Grameen Danone. Before, he was living on a daily wage, and it was difficult for him to support his family.

She takes a fresh batch of yoghurt, spares one in the corner of the bag, for Rahim, and goes to sell it in the villages. She really enjoys meeting people and seeing happy faces of children eating Shokti+.