BRAC Bank TARA, Moner Bondhu collaborate to support wellness for women entrepreneurs

BRAC Bank and Moner Bondhu, a prominent mental health and wellbeing counselling service provider, have forged a partnership aimed at fostering entrepreneurship development and enhancing the mental health of women entrepreneurs.

The collaboration will operate within BRAC Bank Women Banking’s flagship capacity development programme ‘Uddokta 101’, according to a media release.

Moner Bondhu has a team of experienced and certified psychosocial experts, trainers, and mental health workers who offer counselling services for both mental health and professional/personal development.

Under this partnership, Moner Bondhu will extend mental health support and professional counselling to participants and alumni of ‘Uddokta 101’ in classroom settings.

This collaboration between Moner Bondhu and BRAC Bank will establish a holistic professional and personal development ecosystem for numerous women MSME entrepreneurs nationwide, the release says.

Any TARA entrepreneur can take mental health services from Moner Bondhu at a preferential rate. All BRAC Bank employees and their families can also enjoy a preferential rate for all services.

Women entrepreneurs enrolled in ‘Uddokta 101’ will now have access to resources to address the challenges they face, facilitating positive changes in both their professional and personal lives with the assistance of Moner Bondhu.

These sessions will empower women SMEs to manage stress, maintain work-life balance, and address gender disparities in entrepreneurship, thereby fostering professional productivity and personal well-being, according to the release.

The agreement was signed by Syed Abdul Momen, Deputy Managing Director and Head of SME Banking, BRAC Bank, and Tawhida Shiropa, Founder and CEO, Moner Bondhu, at the bank’s Head Office in Dhaka on February 29.

Also in attendance were Khadija Mariam, Head of Women Entrepreneur Cell, BRAC Bank, and Kazi Rumana Haque, Head of Mental Health Program and Lead Psychosocial Counsellor, Moner Bondhu.