Country Reoport

Grameen Healthcare and Saudi German Hospital Group to Build
Social Business Hospitals in Bangladesh


A borrower bought a tractor with SME loan



Grameen Healthcare Trust and Saudi-German Hospital Group (SGHG) of Saudi Arabia signed a cooperation agreement on May 13, 2008 to set up a trust to build social business hospitals which will bring health services to the poor and disadvantaged people in Bangladesh.

As part of the joint-venture initiatives, a 50-bed hospital named Al Sabeel-Grameen Hospital will be established at first. Based on the success of the hospital, more hospitals will also be built in the country.




Grameen Shakti
Wins Ashden Award 2008


Mr. Dipal Barua, Managing Director of Grameen Shakti, receiving
Ashden Award from Nobel Laureate Ms. Wangari Maathai

Grameen Shakti (GS), a rural based renewable energy company, was awarded the 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award at the Ashden Awards ceremony in London on June 19, 2008. GS, which has installed 160,000 solar home systems in the country and is adding around 7,000 new systems each month, won the award for its role in income generation among rural population through installation of solar home systems. Grameen Shakti had also won an Ashden Award in 2006.
Report by Sabrina Shahab





Grameen - Veolia Initiative for Drinking Water for Rural Poor

Grameen and Veolia Water agreed recently to set up a new company called Grameen-Veolia Water Ltd. to supply drinking water to the poorest people of Bangladesh.

The company will be 50% owned by Veolia Water AMI (Africa, Middle East, India) and 50% by Grameen Healthcare. Its mission will be to operate several water treatment and production plants in the poorest villages in Bangladesh. It is hoped that the first plant will become operational by the end of 2008.



Intel - Grameen Partner on Social Business

Intel Capital and Grameen Trust are partnering to form a "Social Business" venture, Mr. Craig Barrett, Chairman, Intel Corporation, announced at the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) in May 2008. The Grameen - Intel joint venture combines Intel's technology innovation and Grameen's extensive experience in creating economic development and income generation opportunities.