Reception and Photo Exhibit, hosted by the NoVo Foundation

On January 15th, the NoVo Foundation hosted a reception for BRAC USA’s board members, advisory council members, staff, and friends. Since supporting the launch of BRAC USA in 2007, NoVo has been a deeply committed partner and this event was the latest instance of their invaluable support.

A snow storm arrived that morning and threatened to detain some of our guests. Luckily, our concerns were promptly dispelled. Guests began arriving at 6:30 PM and were greeted with drinks, hors d’oeuvres, panoramic views of midtown Manhattan, and an exhibit of photographs representing BRAC programs.

After a first round of introductions, Jennifer Buffet gave a characteristically gracious welcome describing NoVo’s engagement with BRAC and the reasons for their support.

BRAC listens to what is living inside of people. They realize that the answers are on the ground with the people who live in a place – and this must be understood, empowered, harnessed and leveraged. BRAC works through and with the grassroots – with ordinary and extraordinary local people and talent.

Susan Davis, BRAC USA’s President and CEO, thanked Jennifer and Peter for their commitment to BRAC told the story of two BRAC women. The first was Jhonuka, a Bangladeshi girl and BRAC member whose photo was selected for the cover of Ian Smilie’s book about BRAC, Freedom From Want, which will be published in April. We hope you will pre-order a copy from Amazon or directly from the publisher. Susan then spoke about Veronica, the first Ugandan to be hired at BRAC Uganda, who has been twice promoted and appointed as head trainer for the microfinance program.

Lincoln Chen, Chair of the Board, then spoke about the late Alan Rosenfield, BRAC USA’s former Chairperson, and his considerable contribution to BRAC.

The occasion marked the first meeting of board and advisory council members, and we were thrilled by their enthusiastic exchange of BRAC stories. Everyone was in high spirits and there was a special sense of great, like-minded people, connecting on issues they feel passionately about.

We are so grateful to the NoVo Foundation for making that wonderful evening possible and all those who attended for their support of our cause and their individual commitment to enforcing real change in our world.

Many of our guests have asked us for the link to Peter Buffett’s amazing music video, Set Us Free. You can find Set us Free and other BRAC videos on our YouTube channel. This original song, composed and sung by Peter is featured on his new album Imaginary Kingdom. The song was inspired by Peter’s visit to BRAC’s programs in Bangladesh and uses the video and images that he himself shot. We hope that you will share the video with your circle of friends and contacts!

BRAC Africa Loan Fund Launched to Combat Poverty in East Africa

BRAC, a leading international development organization founded in Bangladesh announced that it has successfully raised $62.6 million of debt capital to provide microfinance loans to poor borrowers in Tanzania, Uganda and Southern Sudan. The BRAC Africa Loan Fund provides long-term, local-currency funding that will enable BRAC to scale up its microfinance operations to reach over 700,000 borrowers through over 200 branches across the three countries. The Fund represents the largest single financing to date of a southern hemisphere development organization expanding into Africa.

The Fund will aggregate US dollar loans from investors through a special purpose company and use the capital to make local currency loans to BRAC Uganda, BRAC Tanzania and BRAC Southern Sudan over a period of seven years. A second and final closing is planned during the first half of 2009 to reach the Fund’s target of $74.0 million.


Click here to read the full press release.

BRAC intern writes about her time in Bangladesh

One of BRAC's former interns is writing an article for FEM Magazine about her experience in Bangladesh. Please take a look and give her your feedback:

As I sat across from Shafia, 21-year-old Bangladeshi woman married to a 32-year-old rice farmer and already with a young daughter, I realized that had I been born in Bangladesh, her life could have easily been mine. Bangladesh is one of the poorest, most crowded countries in the world, with 150 million people crammed into a landmass the same size as Michigan. Some call it the “armpit” of South Asia, though Eve Ensler might give it a different anatomical nickname. I was in Bangladesh for three months working at BRAC, a non-governmental development organization. I interviewed Shafia while researching a new variety of rice, which her husband grew but she harvested, husked, and cooked. Shafia was shy, often hiding her beautiful face behind her brightly colored sari. I met many women like Shafia; women emotionally or physically scarred by Bangladesh’s staggering rates of domestic violence. But due to efforts by BRAC and other organizations to empower women, I also met women who taught me what it truly means to be a feminist. While rice often filled my belly, the women of Bangladesh filled my heart with hope.

The organization I worked for, BRAC, provides millions of Bangladeshis with primary education, health education and supplies, and agricultural training.

Click here to read the full article.