DHAKA: In continuation of their agreement signed in April, 2014 in Copenhagen, the Danish Company Coders Trust and Grameen Solutions Limited (GSL) announced their collaboration at a local Hotel in Dhaka on Friday.
Danish Minister of Trade and Development Cooperation Mogens Jensen in a video message said, “In Bangladesh, Danish foreign aid has contributed to millions of people being lifted out of poverty every year. I am very focused on using foreign aid to create growth and employment locally… We have supported this project because it, in an innovative manner, will create jobs in rural areas for the young people who otherwise would not have other options than to move to the big cities.”
Anette Galskjøt, representing Danish Embassy and DANIDA said that Danish Foreign Ministry will be delighted to fund and support the initiative.
She said, Danish Development Corporation will continue supporting such projects those are directly related to employment generation and education.
Morten Lund, Partner of CodersTrust and Co-Funder of Skype said, “This is the most concisely conceived and most promising project, I have ever been a part of. By upgrading skill and preserving local jobs you avoid brain drain in the developing countries and help European companies getting the best people to solve the tasks – it is strategic upgrading of tomorrow’s technological labor force.”
Secretary of Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Nazrul Islam Khan and a team from the Government sponsored ‘Learning and Earning project’ participated in the programme.
The team shared experience with the executives of GSL and Coders Trust.
Representatives from Malaysia based IT Companies ‘Connect Seven’ and ‘Guardian Network’ also showed keen interest in the project and requested for exploring the possibilities of extending similar program in Malaysia as well.
Founder of Coders Trust Ferdinand Kjaerulff said, “We will work closely in order to make the strongest impact possible in the mission of strengthening the future of Bangladeshi boys and girls by giving the access to the online job market.”
He congratulated the Government’s ‘Digital Bangladesh’ initiative and said that one of the outcome of the initiative was Dhaka being declared as number 3 in the world as outsourcing destination just within few years.
Chief Executive Officer of GSL Tehsin Hasan reiterated his farm’s commitment and said that his organization is ready get blended with the ongoing initiative for higher employment generation through ICT for the youth and making a difference in their lives.
He expected that within 5 years over 100,00 youths can be engaged under this program.
During the event, a group from the newly enrolled students came up and narrated their views and aspirations.
Abul Hashem, a successful freelancer also narrated his history. He mentioned that patience, communication capability and skill are must for securing higher wage.
Coders Trust is an initiative backed by the development fund Danida, or Danish International Development Agency, to provide microfinance for students in emerging nations who want to upgrade their programming skills.
Copenhagen-born entrepreneur Ferdinand Kjærulff, founder of Coders Trust, hopes that these students are empowered to sell their work internationally via freelance portals such as Odesk, Elance and Freelancer.
BDST: 1951 HRS, May 3, 2014
