Yunus Social Business Centre at King's College Kathmandu Nepal

AgroShelter, a project under Rural Development Initiative clinched first position on Social Business Challenge by grabbing cash prize of Rs. 100,000. Mr.  M F M Amir Khashru, General Manager, Yunus Centre handed over the cheque to Kuldeep Bandhu Aryal in the final ceremony for the company. AgroShelter, a community-driven facility, helps farmers at small scale so that their products will not get hampered. This agricultural facility is focused on improving drying, hermetic packaging, and regulated storage space. In the finale, the top 10 finalists made a final pitch, among which one was declared a winner by a panelist including: Mr. M F M Amir Khashru (General Manager, Yunus Centre, Dhaka), Ms. Luna Shrestha Thakur (Founding Director, Change Fusion Nepal), Mr. Zaid Uddin ( Assistant Program Officer, Yunus Centre, Dhaka), Mr. Rajeev Amatya (Founder and Managing Director, Daraz Kaymu Nepal)  and Ms. Stuti Basnet, Consultant-Program Management, Nesta

The final phase of Social Business Challenge was held on June 23, Friday. Yunus Centre (Bangladesh) and King’s college tied knot, last November, to inaugurate Yunus Social Business Center in the capital. The center initiated its first annual Social Business Challenge through several workshops from April 3^rd, 2017 – a platform where participants can present their social business ideas.

A total of 10 teams were vying in the final as AgroShelter and Kuldeep secured the prize for their unique and innovative agricultural practices. AgroMart, AgroTech, FARM, Avocados and More, Spring Sanitary Napkins, Hamro Doctor, and Rasbin Enterprises Ltd, pitched their social business ideas in front of the judges. These finalists were equally impressive in bringing their ideas in front.

Mr. Nanda Kishor Mandal, Head of Yunus Social Business Center at King’s, thanked all the participants in the program who were supportive to the idea of Social Business Challenge. He stated relevantly on how the availability of abundance resources can help overtake socio-economic challenges by focusing on market system development, which looks possible only through a transformed education system and through determination of social youth enthusiasts. Mr Nanda announced that the partnership with Yunus Center was done by valuing three pillars: Education, Enterprise Creation & Advocacy.

Before the final phase of the challenge, Yunus Center and King’s College (which is Kathmandu’s top business college offering BBA and MBA program) had held workshop across major cities, namely: Biratnagar, Janakpur, Chitwan, and Birgunj. The objectives of the workshop were focused on interactive discussions related to social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, and business model canvas.

Both parties – King’s College and Yunus Centre – have stated that this challenge will be held annually to bring forth innovative social business ideas.

The next season of Social Business Challenge will be held at August 2018.