Mission Statement Amar Desh Amar Gram; an initiative,. whereby establishing an ICT based network connecting rural life with city life and vice versa. Amar Desh Amar Gram platforms nine pillars which not only covers ecommerce through e-shop, but also covers aspects such as culture, tourism, press, government services, education, entertainment hubs, etc bringing aspects of city lifestyles to the rural people which they never dreamt of.
Location
- > Phase 1 : The pilot e-center at Mithekhali, Mongla Upazilla
- > Phase 2 : Implementation of an e-center in each of the 64 districts
- > Phase 3 : 480 centers covering 480 Upazillas
It aims to create a Digital Bangla Community by breaking down the digital divide. The project achieves its purpose by establishing infrastructure (in the form of village e-centres) is required for the e-commerce and then is able to provide additional services and income through digitizing information on local government, school and training. Focusing on the application of ICT for rural development especially in areas of trade, health, agriculture, human rights and to carry out surveys, analyze data, for development of rural skills and lifestyle. To resource manpower through skill development training, particularly for the unemployed youth groups and adolescents girls, in use of ICT, data collection, compilation, analysis and information sharing among various stakeholders aiming towards sustainability of such effort.
In a country like Bangladesh, just introducing e-trade or popularizing the concept is innovative on its own. On top of this we are taking the technology to the masses of people in the rural areas to enable them to do e trade. E-trade assists in reducing the transaction costs and also connects local SME's to markets in the urban areas (Dhaka) as well as different rural markets across the country, and hence facilitating the whole business process. Travelling costs are reduced and in some instances are non- existent. E-trading creates a means of self-employment which reduces the rural-urban migration rate.
OUR BELIEF We believe that only by using today's technology we can bring about a positive change. We believe in creating opportunities by making new and improved connections. We believe in creating products that can not only bring financial benefits to others but also change the way we deal with things now.
OUR MISSION Our mission is to set up a system based on the application of ICT for development that will drastically change and bring new horizons to the far corners of Bangladesh. Our aim is to establish a holistic network of solutions that can enable online trading and benefit production, generate employment, facilitate education, health & Social sectors at rural levels all across Bangladesh. A transparent system that ensures maximum benefit at minimum cost for the producers and thrives to bring about a desired behavioral change in trading for rural empowerment.
Ranges & Scopes:
Fair price:
- > The system should be able to directly link the neglected farmers and all other producers to the customers so that they receive their rightful profit.
- > The system would enable customers to get products at a reasonable price.
- > Fair price for all products produce by the manufactures can be of handicrafts, handlooms, crops, agro products are ensured as the traders have direct access to the market.
Employment:
- > Under privileged people especially woman should be able to directly access target markets on the internet.
- > The system should create equal employment opportunities for men and women ensuring increase in income.
Sustainability:
- > The system should enable every registered member of a village to be self dependent.
- > Enhance the under privileged people's (especially women's) potential skills and capabilities and create opportunities for them.
- > Develop a global partnership for development; rural lifestyle will join hands with globalization.
Economic Development of the Country:
- > E-Shop will overcome significant challenges to Community Economic Development (CED)
- > Support linkages between local government and private sector contributing to local economic development.
- > Online transaction would boost the gross domestic product growth and thus help Bangladesh achieve the MDGs
- > Fulfilling demands nationally and internationally. Efforts will be directed to exporting surplus products after meeting domestic requirement.s
A Solution for Reduction in Rural-urban Migration. E-shop will create job opportunities both in the form of:
- > Self employment
- > E-shop management employee
Database Library Registered producers will keep data on the e-center of their trades and transactions and progress report of financial impact in life. The e-center also stores computerized data of their family records. This valuable data could be used to ensure increased production and social justice and in the distribution of land and water bodies. These data will also play a great role on aiding climatic change.
Commerce & Industry
Adapting to Climatic Change This innovative technology provides the infrastructural facilities required for an investment friendly environment and a competitive market system designed to boost rural trade. If the victims are under the effect of climate change, it would not affect their livelihood as they have their own identity and virtual mall from where she can earn again even if she has lost everything. She can start earning again through her establishment in the virtual world which is recognized nationally and internationally. This will also help reduction in carbon emissions, by:
Amar Desh Amar Gram an initiative whereby establishing an ICT based network connecting rural life with city life and vice versa to empower specially women and underprivileged, poor to the poorest beneficiary by establishing Amar Desh e-shop –a full fledged ecommerce center named "Amar Desh Amar Gram" with three programs planned the model is categorized into three parts, Amar Desh e-shop (e-trading), e-Desh (Country web portal) and Ami Hobo Shonirbhor (ICT training for rural development).
AMAR DESH E-SHOP (E-commerce)www.amardesheshop.com
A peoples market for the uprising of rural communities Location: On the sidewalks of the information highway! Everyday villagers come with their products –anything they produce even if it is just a gourd and catalogue it on the internet. A buyer from hundreds of miles away glances through the catalogue and puts an order. In less than a day or two days he has received a product which he buys twice or even thrice the money he pays in a city market. Back in the village, the producer has received a fair price and the money has been electronically sent to her bank account.
Operation:
- • It is the outlet for anyone and everyone, from the poor to the poorest
- • Run by local school students who are employee of the e-center & supervised by their headmaster who is head of the management. They do
- > Members registration
- > e-shop management
- > Stock management (Inventory)
- > Customers order management
- > Delivery section
E-DESH –(Country Web Portal)www.amardesheshop.com
The e-centers employee collect their Upazilla's data ,information and share them worldwide
via their own portal on the sectors of
- o E.edu for Education
- o Government
- o Bottola' for Art and culture
- o Muktijoddha Parishod'( Freedom Fighters' Association)
- o ICT for Tourism
- o Local Press Online
- o Digital archiving
- o Rural yellow pages
AMI HOBO SHONIRBHOR-(ICT training for Rural Development)
The program is independently contributing to rural youth development through various computer training programs Aimed for self employment boosting entrepreneur skills by overcoming the barrier of the rural-urban digital divide.
By IT training the students income is generated. Income of the center is generated as well by various services provided at the e-centres such as the photocopying of documents, filling up of passport forms, printing etc. The centres are also involved in site content development which generates healthy amount of income.. It is our goal to keep all the individual centres self-sustainable, so as to create an environment where one centre doesn't slack off in the hope of another centre reeling in enough profits to cover them. FSB prides itself in quality of service, an essential part of which is to deliver fresh products. So to maintain the quality of the producer's goods, the e-center of Amar Desh Amar Gram is liable for any damaged or stale products. We also have employees who check every single good before they are delivered for the purpose of quality control.
Timeline: Implementation time : 20th November 2009.
PHASE 1: Establishment and smooth operation of the Pilot e-centre at
Mongla.
- The Pilot Center : Amar Desh Amar Gram e-center
- Location : Mithakhali village, Mongla Upazilla, Bagerhat District.
- inaugurated on : Friday 16th April 2010 by
- Grand Digital Fair of e-shop products Inaugurated by Arch. Yeafes Osman, Honarable Minister of ICT,Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh.
- Employee stats : E-Center consists of 7 employees, among them 4 are men 3 are women. The collection and
- Beneficiary : 1150 micro entrepreneurs mostly women are registered on e-shop.60 fishermen are registered.
- implemented :year April 2010
PHASE 2: Establishment of e-centers at
| We have implemented 64 centers so far | |
| 1. Mongla upazilla : | the pilot |
| 2. Norsingdhi : | 750 farmers are ready to sell organic Organic vegetables |
| 3. Tangail : | With Handloom products, 200 tati |
| 4. Sylhet enlisted : | With monipuri products, 39 producers enlisted. 20,000 producers are present at monipuri para Komolganj |
| 5. Jamalpur : | Ongoing |
| 6. Rangpur : | Ongoing |
On the portal of
- >www.bangladeshbrand.com : the first of its kind virtual mall in the country.
| Showcasing: | |
| 1. Shada Kalo, | 2. Bibi Russell, |
| 3. Deshal, | 4. Nogordola, |
| 5. Banglar Mela, | 6. Fit Elegance, |
| 7. Artisti Collection | 8. Ecstasy, |
| 9. Bibiana, | 10. Emdad Haque |
| 11. Khubsoorty, | 12. Ahang, |
| 13. Prabartana, | 14. Rang, |
| 15. Menz Klub, | 16. Tanjim's, |
| 17. Doors | 18. Afreens |
| www.amardesheshop.com | : e-Commerce for rural producer's products |
| showcasing | :2165 rural producers |
| Date:21st December 2010 | |
| Digital Innovation in Sylhet District | : Won the first prize on Amar Desh Amar Gram project . |
| Year 2011 : | |
| Date July 6th -8th Digital Innovation Fair Organized by Government | : Won the National Award on e-commerce,Business and Finance The only company in Bangladesh among the Private sector for the project "Amar Desh Amar Gram". |
The current low exchange rate of Bangladeshi Taka in against of US Dollar works for our favour. In this way the goods available on Amar Desh's e-shop become more competitive and thrive on the international market. Thus the local producers now have a wider market base and thus have the potentiality for bigger profits. There is an excellent use of web marketing through Amar Desh's e-Desh websites. Besides fulfilling their normal roles, all these websites in the e-Desh portal can be used as effective marketing tools for letting people know about the opportunities they have as sellers or buyers in Amar Desh's e-shop. Amar Desh's web site has seen hits increase from approximately 290,000 (for the month December 2010) per month to more than 1,000,000 hits a month (for the month July 2011). Till date, through the Amar Desh website sales worth 9, 50,000 taka have been made but there still lies an incredible scope to exponentially increase this number.
Total students 60 above have been trained from our centers who are working on e-commerce management and 50 women are given free IT training from our centers who are now managing the e-center and working in different agencies, school s, organizations as computer teachers. 16 no. of students at a NGO FIVDB were trained by our e-centers trainers and now they are running their own CIC centers at Sylhet.
Employee testimonial |
|
| Name : | Manik |
| Age : | 24 years |
| Qualification : | HSC graduate |
| Occupation : | Data Entry & eMongla Website management Mongla, e-center |
| "All I used to do is play games and listen to music on my computer at night and watch movies during the day. Then one day two of my friends, Enamul and Shohag, new recruits at Mongla e-center, offered me a job there. From the day I stepped into the e-centre it has been a life changing experience for me. I was trained under the supervision of FSB's IT chief, Ataur Rahman in Dhaka. Presently, I am updating e-mongla website. I'm also involved in product photography, photo editing, data registration and member registration process. Shohag and I are involved in door to door marketing in various schools, colleges and other institutions all over Khulna. I am proud of being a part of this revolutionary endeavor, undertaken by FSB, in helping my village people be self-sufficient by displaying their skills worldwide through online shops. FSB has provided me with a international learning platform in my own village and now the world is in the palm of my hands. Every day I face new challenges, overcome them and learn new things. Every day I gain valuable experience. Now I can see respect glinting in the eyes of the villagers and even have the good fortune of having tea with the honorable headmasters! | |
| Beneficiary Testimonials: | |
| Amena- the proud owner of her own e-shop, with tears in her eyes "I could hardly eat twice a day. I was seriously considering migrating to Dhaka and finding work in a garments factory like my sister-in-law. Thank God I was curious enough to find out more about this computer dokan that my son was excitedly blabbering about after returning from school one day. I was shocked to find out I could actually showcase my needlework wordwide! It was a pleasant surprise when a gentleman from Dhaka bought my hand woven nokhshi katha. Now I can work from the comfort of my own home!! | |
| Farida- Mongla e-center female employee "I was a housewife looking after my family and somehow getting by with my husbands meager earning. I did not have a say in anything. After being trained to be an e-shop employee I'm currently helping local people register their e-shops and earning enough to fulfill my children's needs. Now I have a voice" | |
