Standard Chartered and Kumudini Welfare Trust to train Bangladesh’s nurses

Standard Chartered Bangladesh has partnered with Kumudini Welfare Trust of Bengal (BD) Limited to train and provide employment opportunities for the next generation of Bangladeshi nurses, says a press release.

As part of this initiative, according to the press release, the bank will support 118 students from the Kumudini Nursing School and College (KNSC) in their journey to complete their formal education and attain their Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Nursing from the institution over the course of the next 18 months. The graduates will be guaranteed employment at the Kumudini Hospital for a term of at least two years – enabling all beneficiaries to gain practical work experience and hone their skills.

Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the Bank’s flagship community engagement programme, is designed to help the next generation to learn, earn, and grow.

Facilitating healthcare is a core focus for institutions nationwide, while driving education is integral to the Bank’s Futuremakers initiative.

Standard Chartered Bangladesh (SCB) is working with Kumudini  Welfare Trust (KWT) and its sister concerns to make an impact by providing access to quality health education – especially for young women from communities in need, who might otherwise not have been able to pursue a career in nursing.

The agreement was signed by Naser Ezaz Bijoy, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bangladesh and Rajiv Prasad Shaha, chairman and managing director of KWT of Bengal (BD) Limited.

Naser Ezaz Bijoy said, “Taking care of the health and wellbeing of a nation that is 170 million strong is a mammoth task. Meeting the needs of our people will require an increasing number of highly trained nurses and health professionals. We are proud to partner with the Kumudini Welfare Trust – which is a role model for the institutionalisation of philanthropy in Bangladesh over multiple generations – to provide aspiring nurses with much-needed access to certified healthcare education. Developing employable skills is a core focus area for Standard Chartered. Kumudini Welfare Trust’s commitment to guaranteeing two years of employment for students from the Kumudini Nursing School & College is essential in advancing women’s representation in the workforce.”

Rajiv Prasad Shaha said, “Kumudini has been training nurses since late 1943, beginning with a batch of five British trainer nurses who started providing services at Kumudini Hospital and concurrently training the local womenfolk. Since then, Kumudini has come a long way, becoming one of the first in the private sector to offer B. Sc. Nursing courses, as well as the first to offer M. Sc. Nursing courses. We endeavour to bring out quality nurses, many of whom many working as practising nurses and administrators in reputed hospitals at home and abroad.”

Founded in 1947, the Kumudini Welfare Trust of Bengal (BD) Limited is one of the oldest and largest charitable organisations in Bangladesh.

The Kumudini Nursing School and College – a sister concern of the Trust – is dedicated to teaching and training prospective nurses.

Kumudini Hospital is private hospital in Tangail that is managed by Kumudini Welfare Trust. The hospital is funded by the Trust and provides free healthcare, the press release adds.