Hillary Clinton Addresses Global Philanthropy Forum

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed participants of the Global Philanthropy Forum in Washington, DC last week. She emphasized her commitment to make development an equal pillar in US foreign policy along with diplomacy and defense. She also announced Ambassador Elizabeth Bardsley will head a State Department unit to promote partnerships. She said the "door of the State Department is wide open." Her Excellency Queen Rania and His Highness the Aga Khan also made keynote addresses to the forum.

The 500 participants received a copy of the proceedings from last year which included the interview with BRAC Founder F.H. Abed. ShoreBank International President Laurie Spengler spoke about the BRAC Africa Loan Fund on a panel on poverty. BRAC USA Board member Chuck Slaughter moderated a panel discussion on health. Philanthropist, muscian and BRAC Advisory Council Member Peter Buffett entertained participants performing six original songs including Set Us Free, a video and song inspired after his visit to BRAC's program with adolescent girls in Bangladesh (see it on youtube.com). Humanity United hosted a special breakfast session on Liberia with Minister Natty Davis and those interested in learning more about how to support development in that country.

Report on Microfinance Institutions in Asia - Positives and Negatives

Microfinance Information Exchange, Inc. (MIX) and Intellecap released the “Asia Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report 2008″ this March. The study covers a lot of ground, analyzing the performance of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in South Asia and East Asia and the Pacific during the fiscal year 2007, and provides a comparative analysis of individual institutions, countries, and regions. Here are some of the key points of the report:

The Positives

• The Microfinance Industry is expanding rapidly.
  Gross loan portfolio in Asia grew at more than 60%. The sampled MFIs served 47 million active borrowers, with over $10 billion in loans and $7 billion in deposits in FY 2007.
  BRAC had almost 6.4 million borrowers, over 25% of borrowers in Bangladesh.
  
• Bangladeshi MFIs remain strong performers
  In Cambodia and India growth rates were over 90%, compared to little over 20% for Bangladesh. However, the report acknowledges that the low rate of growth is a reflection of the existing scale of microfinance activities in Bangladesh. In fact, the 20% growth figure represented the largest increase in actual number of borrowers, with 3.3 million new active borrowers, compared to the second largest increase of 2.9 million new borrowers in India.
  Bangladeshi MFI operations are the largest in the world with 24.8 million borrowers. India comes in second with 10.9 million borrowers.
  
• Asian MFIs are becoming more efficient.
  While efficiency improvements slowed, MFIs in Asia served borrowers at the lowest cost level of any region globally at $37 per borrower.
• Afghanistan MFIs are improving financial performance
  Slowly increasing revenues in Afghanistan matched operating cost levels by the end of 2007. While there is still a way to go for full cost recovery, this was the first time breaking even was in sight since the microfinance sector's inception in 2002. As the largest NGO in and a microfinance pioneer in Afghanistan, this is excellent news for BRAC.
• Tremendous opportunities for future growth.
  The report concludes that the "Asian microfinance market, with large underserved markets, new business models and innovative technologies, offers tremendous opportunities for investment".

The Negatives

• Penetration remains low.
  The flip side of the opportunity for growth is that there are still scores of poverty-stricken people who are yet to be reached by the activities of MFIs. The report notes that Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam have 'achieved significant depth [of penetration]'; however, Bangladesh, which has the highest rate of penetration only reaches 35% of the potential population. And despite the spectacular growth of Indian microfinance, penetration is still only at 3.5% of a target population of 312 million people.
• Delinquency rates rising.
  While it varied from country to country, the overall trend was of rising delinquency. In Bangladesh, the delinquency rate almost doubled to over 3%.
  
• Bangladeshi record on deposits poor.
  Bangladeshi MFIs fall in the middle of those relying heavily on debt and those relying on deposits. However, most deposits in Bangladesh are compulsory, and voluntary deposits are lagging far behind Indonesia, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. The average deposit in Bangladesh is only $25 (although the exchange rate plays a part in that paltry figure) and trails Indonesia, the leader in this category, by 7 million deposits. In addition, the debt to equity ratio of Bangladeshi MFIs such as BRAC and Grameen are increasing. This is a problem because:
• The financial crisis will affect heavily leveraged MFIs
  The report concludes that the growth of MFIs will be constrained by reduced market liquidity, making it difficult to raise funds through debt. In addition, highly leveraged MFIs (Indian MFIs are almost 80% financed by debt) will suffer from the increased financial costs of having to service large amounts of debt while finding it difficult to raise capital. This will potentially affect overall performance and loan rates significantly.

The performance of Asian MFIs over the next few years should be instructive, especially the performance of highly leveraged MFIs compared to MFIs with a larger capital base. It would seem that due to the relative solidity of their financial structures Bangladeshi MFIs are likely to fare better in this economic climate; however, MFIs in India are largely indebted because they are trying to take advantage of a rapidly expanding market which, despite the downturn, retains potential for significant returns. Consequently it will be very interesting to compare the health of the well established MFIs in Bangladesh to the upstarts in India a few years down the line.

Click here to read the full report (pdf).

Soros and Omidyar Network Invest in BRAC West Africa

BRAC staff use role plays in their training programs. Pictured are new community health volunteers in Liberia who are undergoing a refresher training at the Paynesville Branch office. They were illustrating the various ways to persuade a neighbor to invest in buying a mosquito bednet to prevent malaria.

The Soros Economic Development Fund and Omidyar Network made equal equity investments in BRAC's new microfinance companies, each now operating the first 10 branches in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Representatives from the organizations recently held a board meeting in Monrovia. In addition, BRAC established nonprofit organizations in both countries with support from Open Society Institute of West Africa, Humanity United and Omidyar Network to improve the health conditions of poor and marginalized families as well as bolster their livelihood opportunities, particularly through development of the agriculture and livestock sectors.

Meet Jalaluddin Ahmed, Associate Director of BRAC's Health Program

Jalaluddin Ahmed, Associate Director of BRAC’s Health Program in Bangladesh and former country program head of BRAC Afghanistan, recently visited BRAC USA. He is one of BRAC’s senior most managers and speaks from experience of many milestones in the organization’s development.

Born and brought up in Chittagong, Bangladesh, Mr. Ahmed studied economics with Nobel laureate Professor Yunus and joined the Research and Development department of BRAC in 1980. Over time, he conducted a wide range of health-related research. He was involved in early Vitamin A distribution to poor rural families - now a global effort credited with saving millions of children - and in research demonstrating the extent that sickness impacts microfinance outputs.

As part of BRAC's strategy to build local capacity, it sponsored him to complete a Master's degree in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1996. Mr. Ahmad returned to BRAC's health program where he oversaw BRAC community health vounteers (Shasthya Shebika) and helped to shape a sustainable, cost effective grassroots dissemination strategy for health-related initiatives.

Community health volunteers are BRAC village organization members who receive special training to provide basic health care services and health related education. Over 70,000 now operate in Bangladesh. She visits from 100 to 250 households every month and sells health-related products to supplement her income. Some recent programs utilizing the community health promoters have been related to promoting exclusive breast feeding, nutrition for women and children and HIV prevention.

In 2002, Mr. Ahmad was part of the first team of senior managers who went to Afghanistan to explore ways to support the people of that country spark social and economic development. BRAC is now one of the largest nongovernmental organizations operating in 23 of 34 provinces in Afghanistan.

Mr. Ahmad is an incredible resource. In our time together, he provided a wealth of narratives from BRAC’s past and valuable insights into its future.

First Lady of Uganda praises BRAC’s initiatives in the country

The country program coordinator of BRAC Uganda, Mr. Ariful Islam met with the First Lady of Uganda Mrs. Janet Museveni on 23rd April 2009 at the State House in Kampala.

The First Lady had visited BRAC programs in Bangladesh in May 2005 and was very impressed by BRAC’s work and impact it had created in the country. Following her visit, the first lady invited BRAC to launch its programs in Uganda.

Mr. Ariful Islam explained that in answering the first lady’s call, BRAC launched its programs in Uganda in 2006. Today, BRAC Uganda has emerged as the largest NGO in the country, employing close to 1400 staff, 97% of them being Ugandan. Mr. Islam also explained how BRAC Uganda currently operates 123 offices in 37 districts across the country, impacting the lives of half a million people.

“I know BRAC is an organization that really works for the poor, and I know it can create the impact” the First Lady responded, after learning about BRAC’s achievement Uganda. Given what she has seen and the organization’s performance so far, the first lady said that she can vouch for BRAC Uganda.

The First Lady requested BRAC to launch programs to help the nomadic Karamoja community living in Northeastern Uganda. “These are the poorest people in Uganda, living in constant draught conditions. If anyone could help them, it will probably be BRAC”, she explained in making the request to BRAC. Mr. Islam assured that BRAC Uganda is keen on working with the Karamoja population and plans to provide them support for rearing livestock, as well mobile education and health services. BRAC Uganda is currently designing the project and will be seeking donor support for the program.

The meeting ended with the First Lady thanking BRAC Uganda for the work it had done in Uganda and the impact it is creating. Mr. Islam thanked the First Lady for inviting BRAC to Uganda and also for the continuing support the organization has received from the Government. He explained how this is a great model of south-south cooperation, where BRAC comes from a developing country like Uganda and has first-hand understanding of poverty. He promised that BRAC Uganda will continue to strive towards achieving Government of Uganda’s goal of ‘Prosperity for All’.

Making the World Healthier, One Household at a Time

Meet Fulma, a BRAC Village Organization member and community health promoter in Bangladesh. Every month she visits nearly 250 households, providing basic health education and services and selling health products such as soap, deworming medication, condoms and sanitary napkins for women.


By selling health products, Fulma can supplement her income while providing an invaluable service to her community. Her best sellers are antacid, oral saline and deworming medication. Fulma told me she has gained respect in her community by working as a health promoter, and people often come to her when they have questions or health problems.



In addition to training and supplying products to more than 74,000 community health promoters, BRAC also holds workshops on important health issues such as family planning, hygienic practices and how to make oral rehydration solution, which can prevent dehydration due to diarrhea (the number one cause of death among children under 5).



Like all of BRAC's programs, women are at the core of our success. When given the tools to improve their own lives, they spread their success throughout the community.

Norweigian State Secretary Visits BRAC in Bangladesh

BRAC's Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and the newly created Disaster, Environment, and Climate Change (DECC) programs in Bangladesh hosted Hakon Arald Gulbrandsen, the Norwegian State Secretary for International Affairs this past Sunday.

Secretary Gulbrandsen's trip enabled him to get a close look at the various activities BRAC is carrying out in areas devastated by Cyclone Sidr in November 2007, with deaths estimated between 5,000 to 10,000 and damages estimated at $1.7 billion. A combination of internal funding and the generous help of a broad base of donors helped BRAC raise $2.47 million for its relief efforts.

On his visit to the cyclone rehabilitation programs, Secretary Gulbrandsen observed operations involving pond sand filters, which provide safe drinking water, and multi-purpose cyclone shelter being built to protect livestock during severe storms. We are happy to say he approved of both.

He was also impressed by what he saw of BRAC's agricultural demonstration projects, especially by the fact that BRAC is already preparing local communities to adapt to the present and future impact of climate change. According to Dr. Babar Kabir, director of our WASH and DECC programs, the Norwegian State Secretary was also heartened to see women playing a substantial role in rural development and gradually joining the workforce.

Secretary Gulbrandsen talked about climate change and its impacts as perceived by the local people. He also spoke with those affected by Sidr about their experience during the cyclone and how they are gradually returning to their normal lives, expressing his condolences to the families that had lost close relatives to Sidr.

The Daily Star reports Mr. Gulbrandsen was visiting Bangladesh with a focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation, and women and gender and labor market issues. It also reports that "this visit will provide opportunities for reviewing some of the results in the field as well as set the course for the future bilateral relations between the two countries."

Click here to read the full article in The Daily Star.

BRAC Bank Named Best Financial Institution of the Year

Congratulations to BRAC Bank for being named the Best Financial Institution of the Year at the 2008 Bangladesh Business Awards!

BRAC Bank is a fully operational commercial bank that was founded in 2001 by BRAC, International Finance Corporation and Shorecap International and is one of the fastest growing banks in Bangladesh. It’s objectives include providing comprehensive commercial banking services and pursuing profitable market niches in the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) business sector not traditionally served by conventional banks. The Bank operates under a "double bottom line" agenda where profit and social responsibility go hand in hand.

As a leader in microfinance lending, BRAC was motivated to help start BRAC Bank for a variety of reasons. The institution serves BRAC borrowers as they move from microfinance to SME sized loans.

Historically in Bangladesh, small business owners have suffered from the lack of financing options tailored to meet their unique needs. Consequently, these borrowers have relied on alternative, more costly forms of funding.

BRAC Bank was also created to help demonstrate the business potential of SME- focused lending to the rest of the Bangladeshi banking industry. Responsibly growing the segment is an integral part of the bank’s mission as SME’s are a significant source of economic growth and play an important role in achieving BRAC’s national objective of poverty alleviation.

Click here to learn more about BRAC Bank.

Take a look at what people are saying about Freedom from Want!

There have been some really exciting repsonses to Freedom from Want. Take a look at some of the advance praise that has been written about the book:

"BRAC is the most astounding social enterprise in the world. This story combines the raw excitement of how a huge business can spring from one man's acumen with the emotive charge that comes when poverty and oppression are routed. Business can be exhilarating, and reading why can be a pleasure."
-- Paul Collier, Author of The Bottom Billion

"Smillie has managed to make one of the world's largest and most diverse NGOs come to life for his readers. So rarely does one find a tale of greatness that is so honest about failures and the exacting demands of a robust learning process. Ian Smillie's insights and wry humor make this a wonderful read that will inspire even the most doubtful."
-- Jim Yong Kim, Co-Founder, Partners in Health

"This is a great international story about what I consider the world's most successful and unusual nongovernmental development organization, advancing the frontiers of health, education, and microfinance, with a particular focus on women. It truly is an astounding record."
-- Alan Rosenfield, MD, Former Dean Emeritus, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

Don't miss out on this amazing book, Click here to order your copy today.

Help us to promote Freedom from Want in YOUR community.

Want to promote Freedom From Want in your community but don't know how? Here are a few simple and cheap ideas that you can do on your own or with friends to get the word out about this exciting book.

• Recommend Freedom from Want to at least one person or place (family, friend or local library).
  
  


• Recommend Freedom from Want to be selected for a 'One Book -- One Read' book event in your community http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/onebook/index.php
  
  


• Write a book review on Amazon.com, amazon.ca (Canada), bn.com, borders.com, booksamillion.com, independent bookstore websites or another book review website.
  
  


• Ask magazines, newspapers or radio stations to check out Freedom from Want and to review or discuss their impressions of the book in print or on air (sending a copy is helpful).
  
  


• Donate a copy of Freedom from Want to your local library.
  
  


• Ask bookstores without Freedom from Want to stock the book, especially airport or train station bookstores.
  
  


• Talk to your teacher or professor about including Freedom from Want (or excerpts) into their curriculum.
  
  


• Ask your college or university to include Freedom from Want in their college-wide read or summer incoming freshman-read.
  
  
  Click here to order a copy of the book.

Cyclone Bijli

Cyclone Bijli has hit land in Bangladesh as a category 1 storm. BRAC is currently monitoring Cyclone Bijli and all teams are prepared to respond. We have been coordinating closely with the Bangladeshi government and will continue to track the progress of the Cyclone.


When Cyclone Sidr devastated parts of Bangladesh in 2007, BRAC immediately launched its emergency relief program which involved 2,537 villages in the 60 worst affected upazilas across 11 districts of Bangladesh. More than 2,500 BRAC staff and 13 medical teams were engaged in providing around-the-clock relief and medical care to the victims.

5th Graders from Indiana Help Build a School in Southern Sudan

Last November, a group of 5th graders formed Hands in Action Roots & Shoots. Their first order of business was to raise $3,000 to support BRAC's education program by building a school in Southern Sudan. They ended up raising $3,692.65.

In December, the soccer coach offered to do a benefit concert for them. The kids planned and marketed the whole things. They showed a video clip from BRAC's website and talked about BRAC and the needs in Sudan. The coach also gave a portion of his CD sales that night to the cause.

After that, each member commited to finding their own way to raise $200. Some called everyone they knew. Others made homemade dog/horse/pet treats, as well as people treats, and sold them door-to-door or at their horse barns.

Some kids did a bake sale at a summer camp fair. Some worked and did chores for neighbors and relatives. Some took money from their savings accounts or sold things they owned. One girl made scarves and sold them to neighbors.

They also made several appeals at their school and were able to raise support from students and faculty.

(adapted from a letter from Anne Hudson, parent of one of the Hands in Action members)

A very special thanks from all of us at BRAC to Maya, Rachel, Dylan, Cameron, Katharine, Julia, Haley, Olivia, Carter, Carly, Ryan, Haley, Lucy, Chase and Elizabeth!

Listen to author Ian Smillie talk about Freedom From Want on WTBQ-AM

Tomorrow morning Ian Smillie, author of Freedom From Want, will talk with WTBQ-AM morning show host Frank Truatt about his new tell-all book about about the evolution of BRAC, which comes out today!

Be sure to tune in tomorrow morning at 7:15 am to hear Ian!

If you live in the New York/New Jersey area, you can listen to the broadcast live on WBTQ 1110 AM. Otherwise, click here to listen to the station live on the web.

Freedom From Want is now available for purchase! Click here to order your copy today.

How Social Entrepreneurship Transformed 100 Million Lives, and Other Inspiring Stories from the Biggest Non Profit You've Never Heard Of

Fazle Hasan Abed returned to Bangladesh in 1972 following a devastating cyclone and liberation war to launch a small disaster relief effort. His organization, BRAC, still headquartered in Bangladesh, now touches the lives of over 100 million poor people. Today it is showing women, girls and their communities, from Afghanistan to Uganda, a path to hope and prosperity.

Freedom from Want tells the story of how – in a country where economic crisis is far from new – a small relief initiative became a development powerhouse. It takes us from Abed’s kitchen in Bangladesh, where he experimented with a solution that would eventually save hundreds of thousands of lives from the number-one child killer, diarrhea, to the caves in Afghanistan where BRAC micro-banker Noor Islam was held by kidnappers. The book describes how painstaking trial and error led to innovative social enterprise in tens of thousands of villages and a billion dollar organization that is today 80% self-financing in Bangladesh.

Ian Smillie, who has worked in international development for 30 years, is the perfect person to tell this truly amazing story. His writing goes beyond the statistics and technicalities to bring the people, heart and lessons of BRAC alive. Smillie is donating all royalties to BRAC.

Click here to read the full press release.

Click here to order a copy of the book.

Shubho Noboborsho (Happy New Year), Club Bangla Style

Michelle and I observed the advent of the Bengali New Year by setting up a BRAC stall at Club Bangla's take on the traditional Boishakhi Mela - Bengali New Year's Fair - this Sunday. A group comprised of Columbia University and Barnard College students, Club Bangla's objective is to take major steps in increasing awareness on campus about the language and culture of Bengal at Columbia. There couldn't be a better way to accomplish that goal than to celebrate the Bengali New Year festivities right in the middle of campus.

Located on the plaza in front of the steps of the magnificent Low Memorial Library, Bengali culture took center stage on Sunday, April 12th. The day's events began with a speech - "What is Boishaki?" - and was followed by a diverse array of performances:

ranging from the traditional Bengali folk music of Oikatan...


...to the contemporary Bengali alternative rock band 'Still Waters'...


...to the recent hip-hop sensation 'Stoic Bliss', whose Benglish rap debut album sold over 250,000 copies.


In addition to all the performances, a good number of the crowd were no doubt attracted by the delicious samosas, shingaras, and chatpati on sale right next to the BRAC stall...

It was a memorable and enjoyable afternoon. It certainly flattered our egos that a few non-Bangladeshi passers-by stopped in front of our stall to remark "Oh, look, it's BRAC!" People flipped through our annual report, took a look at Shaatrong - our monthly magazine for BRAC primary school students - and picked up flyers for Freedom From Want, the new book that tells the story of BRAC's evolution from a small relief organization in Bangladesh to the international NGO it is today.

Here are some other photos of the fair:


It was fun to talk with the people there, and to engage with the Bangladeshi community in New York. We look forward to many more of these events in the future.

A special nod to the members of Club Bangla who made it all happen.

-Maher.

BRAC Uganda signs an MoU with the Vice-President's Office

In 2006, The Government of Uganda launched an ambitious vision called Bonna Bagaggawale (Prosperity for All) aimed at addressing poverty in the country. The government has been very active in partnering with civil sector organisations like BRAC in helping to address its goals outlined under the Bonna Bagaggawale scheme.

In the spirit of working closely with the government BRAC Uganda recently signed an MoU with the Vice-President’s office, reiterating BRAC’s role and involvement in the Bonna Bagaggawale initiatives. The scope of the MoU covers BRAC partnering the vice-president’s office in implementing various programmes and providing support to government staff. His Excellency Prof. Gilbert B. Bukenya, Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, Khondoker Ariful Islam, Country Coordinator of BRAC Uganda and Dr. David S. Muduuli, Principal Secretary to the Vice-President were present during the MoU signing ceremony.

Following the MoU, BRAC staff were involved as key trainers and facilitators at a Youth Leaders Conference organised by the Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya. BRAC staff led training sessions on microfinance, agriculture, poultry & livestock, and adolescent development. In addition, the participants were trained on the basics of starting and running a small business

Katherine Rosenberg, Intern at BRAC USA

As a master’s student at Columbia’s school of Public Health, I have become familiar with BRAC’s international work in the public health arena and beyond. Their name has echoed through the halls of Mailman as an exemplary organization committed to sustainable development in some of the world’s poorest locations. While I am currently involved in coordinating a number of research studies, I began to crave direct involvement with international development. Columbia’s introduction of BRAC USA in conjunction with my interest in microfinance and hunger for development work inspired me to seek out internship possibilities with BRAC USA.

Volunteering with the Peace Corps in Senegal, I was involved in a number of on-the-ground issues; however, my work at BRAC USA has exposed me to the work of an international NGO with offices in New York City. It is an exciting time to be a part of BRAC USA’s team and to be a part of such an inspiring organization.

IFPRI Forum talks with Fazle Hasan Abed about BRAC’s activities to benefit the poor in Asia and Africa

Recently, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) interviewed BRAC Founder and Chairperson Fazle Hasan Abed about BRAC's work in Bangladesh and how we are using what we have learned as we establish and scale up programs throughout Africa and Asia.

Below is an excerpt from the interview:

FORUM: BRAC has recently expanded to several countries in Africa. In what ways do lessons from your experiences in Bangladesh apply and not apply in the African context?

Abed: The key elements of BRAC’s approach to comprehensive rural development and poverty alleviation are piloting in response to an emerging challenge; learning, adapting and innovating from the experience; and scaling up to achieve national-level impact. BRAC believes in flexibility in operations, attention to detail, learning from mistakes, necessity for change, continuous training for capacity enhancement of staff, and sensitivity to local cultural values and customs. These principles and values have been helpful guides in BRAC operations outside Bangladesh.

The ground realities within which BRAC’s approach evolved are widespread poverty, governance failure, the uncertainties and frustrations of post-conflict political environments, deep inequities, weak and missing markets that fail to serve the poor, and unnecessary and preventable deaths. Despite complex differences across countries and cultures, we felt our experiences of working with the poor in these realities and the relatively lower cost of using experienced Bangladeshi staff for training locals at the initial stage of replication gave us an edge over many organizations working in international development.

...

The African context itself is widely varied. We work in relatively stable and growing economies such as Uganda and Tanzania. We also work in post-conflict countries with their own diverse complexities, such as Southern Sudan, and recently in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Our entry point is the microfinance program, which allows us to build the outreach and the community-level social infrastructure on which we build other activities in healthcare services and agriculture. Making an impact at the national level is one of the core objectives driving our work in Africa.

Click here to read the full article in IFPRI Forum (pdf).

A 14 year old Leader in her Community

MyBRAC Feature - Akhi, a WASH(Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program) Teenager


When Akhi (right) was five years old, her village had no school and she wondered if she would ever receive an education. Since then, she has been able to take advantage of the opportunities BRAC has given her to become a well-rounded, educated young person. She attended a primary school that BRAC built in her village until she was ten. After finishing primary school, she joined BRAC's adolescent development program, where twice a week she joins other girls to study, share stories, and learn from one another in a safe place.

Akhi is currently attending a public secondary school where BRAC runs a WASH program to encourage hygienic behavior. BRAC teaches students healthy habits and provides the school with resources to encourage a healthier way of life.


When Akhi first went to the school, students had to use a dirty, broken toilet, but this changed when BRAC started the WASH program. “Because of WASH," says Akhi, "there is a new toilet in our common room and the toilet and hand pump are kept clean"

"My parents are now much more aware of sanitation issues and I have also talked with my neighbors,” she says, speaking of her success in spreading the message of WASH. “I explain the benefits of keeping clean.”


With a sly smile, the precocious teenager says "I'm pretty popular in my area, and I'm using that to make other people more aware."

BRAC has been a part of Akhi’s life for more than eight years and promises to support her as she continues to pursue her dreams. She thanks BRAC for giving her opportunities to help others and increase her knowledge and empower herself. “If I ever get the chance to work for BRAC in the future, I will definitely do that,” she said. “It is important to make the people of our country more aware about cleanliness.”

You can learn much more about Akhi and many others at our beautiful new MyBRAC site, where you can see their photos, watch videos of them, and take a look at their bios. The project is the culmination of nine Duke students who travelled throughout Bangladesh in the summer of 2008, collecting interviews, videos, and photos of BRAC staff and members. The students were funded by DukeEngage, a Duke University program for undergrads who want to pursue intensive civic engagement experience anywhere in the world. A heartfelt thanks from the BRAC USA office to those who made this possible.

Trip to BRAC in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a beautiful country in West Africa. Its vibrant capital city, Freetown, now has half of its population living in the city and surrounding area making traffic a subject of conversation and much frustration for people.

BRAC rented an office off the main road in Freetown that also serves as a residence for the few Bangladeshi staff who were sent to start up the nonprofit microfinance, health, agriculture and livestock programs.

Shah Alam is the Country Representative for BRAC and the head of the newly established Microfinance company. He has been with BRAC over two decades and has both operational experience in microfinance as well as a training background.


Tapon Kumar Das was the first staff person from BRAC sent to Sierra Leone last April. He has worked with BRAC 26 years and has a background in program monitoring, accounting, audit.


Main road in Lunsar, 3 hours north of Freetown.


(above) New staff for the Waterloo Branch: Credit Officer Marionett Pratt, Branch Manager Umu Kapange and Credit Officer Zainab Salriy. All were first contracted by BRAC to survey the local community in this area to identify lowest income households who were not currently being served by any other microfinance organization. They told me how they had to overcome people's suspicion and gain their trust. They also loved the work as they learned so much about the way to talk to people and about the real poverty situation in their country.


I dropped in on a Community Health Volunteer training in Masiaka Branch. BRAC's Area Health Extension Coordinator, Alimatu Kamrau, dynamically led the training session with 25 volunteers. She is a nurse and was going over health prevention and education messages that the volunteers will share with their neighbors in a door-to-door outreach program. She got people to actively participate and share what they were learning to reinforce the main points. In time, they will also carry some basic health commodities with them to sell at a small mark up to community members.


Every training included some singing and dancing to keep things lively.


Jenna Ansumana is a new Branch Manager who completed a degree in Forestry and taught secondary school for a year prior to joining BRAC. She said she left "to work with the people in my country and to know my country more. " She was attracted to the idea of leaving Freetown and working upcountry. Aida Aiabella is a newly hired Credit Officer who has 12 years of education; she also first conducted a survey of her area that helped to identify potential Community Health Volunteers and other target households for the program before being recruited by the microfinance company.




Roadside vendors can supply fresh fruits, cool green coconuts to drink since there are few businesses along the 3 hour drive from Freetown to Port Loko. And always, outside any BRAC branch office, a group of curious children will gather. While the litany of challenges facing Sierra Leone seems endless at times, the beauty of its people and countryside leave one feeling very hopeful about its future.

BRAC Sierra Leone Operational

Led by Country Representative Shah Alam (front right) and Tapon Kumar Das (front left), BRAC Sierra Leone has now set up 10 microfinance branches and launched its health, agriculture and livestock programs. I visited the branches in Waterloo and Lunsar on a recent trip. The challenges are enormous in this post-conflict country of roughly 6 million people but the BRAC team is highly motivated to make a difference. A handful of Bangladeshi staff are now working with over 60 staff recruited from Sierra Leone.

Microfinance Branch Training in Uganda

On a recent visit to Uganda, I visited a training program run by the BRAC Uganda IT Unit for Microfinance Branch Managers. BRAC developed its own MIS system in Bangladesh known as RADAR. A very senior Microsoft company executive visited BRAC Uganda last year and reviewed its MIS system. Based on his evaluation, RADAR was deemed to be an excellent solution for the microfinance program needs.

Country Representative Ariful Islam (seated, far end) and Health Program Manager Habibur Rahman (standing, far corner) dropped in on the training to meet with staff.

















Shohrab Uddin is the Senior MIS Officer from Bangladesh (blue shirt) leading this 5-day hands-on training along with IT Dept. colleagues Juuko Ditham (black T-shirt)...

















and Namatovu Carol (in the blue dress), seen here with Habibur.

















Staff being trained in RADAR as part of the branch automation strategy are featured in the photographs: Namugeny Sarah, Lusimbo Jesca, Nakawooya Rachael Vanessa, Nsimenta Sharon, Awori Stellah, Ntongo Rebecca and Akatwijuka Mercy.




































































Participants thought the training was very practical and effective. They also seemed to having a good time working together. I was also glad to know that Arif, Carol and others there read this blog so let me say thanks for letting me drop in and observe your training!

BRAC Uganda Growing Rapidly and Building Capacity

BRAC Uganda, led by Country Representative Ariful Islam, recently moved into a new country office in Kampala (featured on the left). Arif, a highly experienced 26-year veteran with BRAC, is now overseeing a rapidly expanding 85-branch national network that is delivering microfinance for very low income entrepreneurs in Uganda. In addition, BRAC is providing livelihood development services to its microfinance clients and community members in agriculture, poultry, livestock and health. It also has a special initiative focused on teenage girls and runs 'second chance' primary schools for older children in the conflict-affected northern districts of Kitgum and Pader. Arif first arrived in Kampala in June 2006 to explore the feasibility of establishing BRAC programs in Uganda. BRAC has signed MOUs with the Government of Uganda to carry out its integrated development programs nation-wide and currently employs over 1,300 staff. Given the high unemployment rates, Arif prefers to give new graduates and first-time job seekers an opportunity. BRAC invests heavily in training and capacity building for its staff.