a2i's ekShop initiative wins UN 'SDG Digital GameChangers Award'

An initiative of Aspire to Innovate (a2i) called 'ekShop' has recently won the United Nations 'SDG Digital GameChangers Award'. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) jointly awarded ekShop the winner of the 'Game Changer for Prosperity' category.

As per a press release, this award was given to ekShop for bringing e-commerce services to the marginal areas of Bangladesh. The e-commerce model provided by ekShop aims to empower small and medium-sized businesses, refugees, and those facing digital disparities, particularly ​in the least-developed countries.

The award ceremony took place on September 16 at UN Headquarters in New York as part of the UN's dedicated SDG Action Weekend. The a2i's Policy Advisor Anir Chowdhury, Head of Commercial Strategy Rezwanul Haque Jami, and Programme Associate (Outreach & Resource Mobilization) Md Sahariar Hasan, received the award at the ceremony.

The SDG Digital GameChangers Award honours individuals and organisations working on digital solutions to accelerate progress on global goals. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), backed by other partners and supporters, presented the SDG Digital GameChangers Award in five categories: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Pioneer. 

The press release adds that ekShop is a locally-based rural-assisted e-commerce platform, intending to deliver daily-necessary products to people's doorsteps easily and quickly. At present, more than 12 thousand rural artisans are selling products through this e-commerce platform. The platform has already delivered more than 80 lakh products to different parts of the country through cash-on-delivery.

Any e-commerce organisation or entrepreneur can deliver their products to customers through this service. The Post & Telecommunication Division has also been added to this platform, along with various product delivery organisations in the country. Furthermore, various government entrepreneurial institutions have been brought under the umbrella of ekShop.