Re-Balance Nursing Scholarship
Photo by RoBi RiTu
Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing offers Under Graduate Diploma, BSc and Post Basic Qualifications
We co-create diverse social purpose projects. Our first is a nursing scholarship with the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing (GCCN)
Chaired by Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. We spoke to the Principal Niru Shamsun Nahar in December 2020 to begin the partnership
The first student scholarship placement will begin in 2021. Our ambition is to continue funding one additional place per year. The scholarships offered will provide full financial support, including accommodation, fees and a financial stipend, allowing them to continue a BSc in Nursing.
GCCN is one of the leading Nursing Colleges approved by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, affiliated with the Bangladesh Nursing & Midwifery Council and the University of Dhaka.
GCCN was established in 2010 and as a result of a successful partnership between Glasgow Caledonian University (UK) and Grameen Health CareTrust.
Since January 2012, 355 students have graduated from GCCN and all of them become registered nurses. The college prioritises nursing education, healthcare and prosperity as fundamental to ensure the healthcare services for future generations.
Vision and Aim of GCCN
To establish a nationally and internationally recognised institution for high-quality nursing and midwifery education in Bangladesh.
To provide young people from the rural area in Bangladesh with the opportunity to study at a higher level in order to break the cycle of early marriage, pregnancy, and poverty.
To contribute to enhancing the capacity of healthcare facilities and the capability of human resources.
Objectives
To prepare young people to become leaders and agents for change to promote improvement in the healthcare and well being of the people of Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world.
To deliver international quality nursing and midwifery education and research.
To promote the values of holistic and community-focused care.
Be recognized as an institution that is a leader in the field of nursing and midwifery education and research in South Asia and elsewhere in the world.
To ensure that our students undergo an education that prepares them with the skills to be professionally competent and to gain the expertise they need for lifelong learning.
To be creative in learning and teaching activities using adult learning approaches.
To be inclusive in activities working closely with government, partner organizations and private institutions.
The Re-Balance Approach
Recognise.
At Re-Balance, we are focused on working with communities, to create real, positive change. We wanted to honor that commitment, and find a way to help people learn, grow, change their lives and have a positive impact in their community. The pandemic has amplified the need for nurses across the world. Most low income countries have a huge shortage of healthcare professionals. WHO’s campaign in 2020 ‘ Year of the Nurse and the Midwife’ shared that the world needs 9 million more nurses and midwives if it is to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. This scholarship will contribute to that need.
Review.
We met the college’s Principal, Niru Shamsun Nahar, in December 2020 to begin the partnership. GNNC and the Re-Balance Foundation are working together to create a scholarship for a BSc in Nursing at the college. Bangladesh has a national recruitment approach to nurses. Many more potential students sit and pass the entry exams than there are places for the training. There are very few fully funded scholarships. Because of this, we would like to provide one full scholarship each year.
Respond.
The first student scholarship placement begins in 2021. Our ambition is to continue funding one additional place every year. The Re-Balance scholarships will provide full financial support, including accommodation fees and a financial stipend, allowing students to continue their full BSc in Nursing.
We will post regular updates on the student nurses here. Please do follow their story, and let us know if you can help in any way.
Update: COVID-19 is impacting the admission of new students.
Nursing admission tests are held nationally by the government and are usually held after other college/university admission tests completed.
The nursing admission tests for this year were supposed to be held in December 2020 but unfortunately were paused due to the growing impact of the global pandemic.
A student from the last batch of intakes could be supported, but those from Grameen borrower families are already guaranteed loans from Grameen Bank and those coming from non-GB families are likely to be solvent enough to self fund their places.
We’re committed to supporting a student from a low-income family who would not have had to chance to apply due their financial status.
During this pause in admissions, we continue to work with GCCN to ensure we have everything in place for when the admission tests restart so there is no delay in a student starting their training.