10 million Bangladeshis have risen above the poverty line since 1990

This article was originally posted by Julie Moksim on Microcapital.org.

The Microcredit Summit Campaign, a project that was launched in 1997 by US-based nonprofit advocacy group RESULTS Educational Fund (REF), today released a report indicating that between 1990 and 2008 approximately 10 million Bangladeshis rose above the international poverty line of USD 1.25 a day. The study attributes this improved economic status to microfinance programs that enable poor people to start small businesses and access savings and insurance services. The study is based on a survey of approximately 4,000 Bangladeshi households from mostly rural communities and some urban slums that was conducted between February and August 2009 by a team led by Sajjad Zohir of Economic Research Group (ERG), a Bangladeshi nonprofit organization. Alex Counts, President and CEO of the Grameen Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC, supports the report saying, “There are quite a few people who believe that microfinance has lost its way. This Bangladesh survey reminds us that, even in the most difficult circumstances, major progress can be made.”

The results of the survey are consistent with the results of the Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditures Survey (HIES) that estimates approximately 10.62 million Bangladeshis nationwide rose above the poverty line between 1990 and 2005.

Click here to read the report.

Click here to read the original article.

Into the Field: RESULTS Education trip to BRAC in Bangladesh

Update on the earthquake in Pakistan

Below is an e-mail we receive from the head of BRAC in Pakistan regarding yesterday's earthquake.

Dear Everyone,

Hope you are well and fine.

Perhaps you have heard that a strong earthquake with a magnitude 7.4 hits SW Pakistan at about 2:30 AM.It was in a desert area bordering Iran and Afghanistan.

The quake struck at a depth of just 10km (6.2 miles) at 2,023 GMT on Tuesday ,some 55 km (34 miles) west of Dalbandian in Pakistan.

It was located several hundred kilometres from the Pakistani city of Quetta and the city of Zahedan, Iran.

Our regional manager in Quetta informed us that the earth quake lasted only for few seconds.There were no casualities or damage to houses or other assets.  People were running out of their houses in fear of earthquake.

Inshallah we are all safe and sound.

Best regards,

Farid
Muhammed Faridur Rahman
Chief Executive Officer & Country Representative
BRAC Pakistan

Building a Knowledge Community in Africa

BRAC began working in Africa in 2006 with the goal of accelerating solutions for poverty reduction and empowerment in the poorest and toughest parts of the continent. While BRAC's focus has been on implementing programmes and building solid local institutions, we also view ourselves as a knowledge organization - helping to create and disseminate lessons and knowledge that would inform Africa's development.

With this goal in mind, BRAC Uganda organised a conference on ‘Creating Useful Knowledge for Africa’s Development’ in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation and Brooks World Poverty Institute at the University of Manchester, and in association with the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Government of Uganda; Economic Policy Research Centre at Makarere University; and UNICEF. The conference was organised on 14th January 2011 at Makerere University in Kampala.

The Conference highlighted that in order to make policies and programmes for poverty reduction effective, there is a need for high quality and rigorous evidence-based research that takes account of the country and community context. It also emphasised that the process of knowledge creation is not enough: findings and their implications have to be appropriately communicated to policymakers and the public for their impact to be maximised. Participants emphasized that whilst development challenges remain, maximising and sharing important knowledge on development and poverty reduction will help to ensure that opportunities for growth, development and poverty reduction in Africa are realized. These opportunities include the rapid expansion of information technologies, the potential of engaging with diaspora communities, and the emergence of new partners, including some from the global south. Another important agenda is ensuring that research continues in countries experiencing crisis and conflict.

Conference participants also highlighted that research in itself is not enough: researchers also have to place equal emphasis on ‘packaging’ the research in ways that mean it is both timely and relevant to the organisations that can use it: namely governments, NGOs, and civil society in developing policies and programmes for poverty reduction. In addition, the conference concluded that there was also a need for partnership and research networks between different research organisations, both for building capacities, avoiding duplication of efforts, and maximising the impact of research findings.

Umbareen Kuddus, Manager - Knowledge & Communications, BRAC Uganda

Realizing the Potential of Southern Sudan: Taking Healthcare to the People

BRAC's Essential Health Care is a project that trains Community Health Volunteers (CHV) to serve the health needs of her community, with particular attention to poor women and children. CHVs also serve as self employed micro entrepreneurs who go door to door to sell essential healthcare products such as soap, water guard, ORS and condoms. They visit around 15 houses a day to educate those people on health issues and check on their health status.

Thirty year old Sunday Flora Eluzai is one such CHV. Sunday has more than 150 households in her catchment area and visits about 15 households a day. “Since I started to work with BRAC, people know me in the community, and even some of them call me ‘doctor’ because they take medicines from me and get advice,”

Joy Micah Tumalu is a 43 year old woman who spent the war years as a refugee in the Central African Republic. She now works as a Health Worker with BRAC and supervises CHVs. “I want to improve our country. The mothers need knowledge how to care for their children. Thanks to BRAC they’re learning something about first aid in their homes.”

Photo credits: BRAC, Lorne Mallin, Shehzhad Noorani

Stories of Success in Haiti: Renade (Part 5/5)

As we count down to the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, we'd like to reflect on the stories of the individuals we've helped recover and rebuild their lives. This series of posts includes the stories of people who have been able to recover from the biggest catastrophe in their country's history.

Renade

On January 12th, 9-year-old Renade sat studying in her apartment while her parents were out. All of a sudden, the building started shaking violently. Renade looked up to see the ceiling about to cave in – another apartment was falling into her home. In a panic, Renade ran to her balcony and jumped off. The fall shattered her left leg.

When her parents returned home to find the mangled body of their daughter, they ran Renade to the nearest doctor, who said they had to amputate her leg. After the amputation, she was able to get a temporary prosthetic.

Initially, Renade was quite afraid because she had lost her foot, and she became introverted. She relied heavily on her parents and siblings for emotional support.

Renade heard about BRAC soon after she lost her leg. She visited the BRAC Limb and Brace Center and was fitted for a custom made prosthetic limb.

A quick learner, Renade was soon climbing up and down stairs and dancing around with her new prosthetic leg. Her fear melted away, and she became her usual, vibrant self.

As Renade grows, she will need to have her prosthetic limb refitted or replaced, and BRAC plans to be there with her every step of the way.

Realizing the Potential of Southern Sudan: I want to be a doctor

BRAC provides second chance primary education for children between the ages of 8 to 12, who have either dropped out or never been to school. About 4200 children attend one of BRAC's 140 schools across four state.

Children like nine year old Chol Makuek, a student at the school in Cuei Atem Village, Bor. “I’d like to be a leader in the world. I want to learn what I don’t know. I like science because I learn about keeping my body clean. I want to be a doctor.”

Or like 14 year old Foni Mary Justin (picture on the left) who is an orphan in Juba who never went to school. Foni is in Primary 2 now at Munuki school. “I like English and math.”

Or like her classmate 10 year old Rose Yoture who lost her parents during the war and is being raised by her grandmother. "I never went to school before. When I was admitted, I got books and a pen for writing. I like mathematics and English. Social studies and science are more difficult. I want to go to University and become a teacher."




Photo credits: BRAC, Lorne Mallin, Shehzhad Noorani

Stories of Success in Haiti: Bengi (Part 4/5)

As we count down to the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, we'd like to reflect on the stories of the individuals we've helped recover and rebuild their lives. This series of posts includes the stories of people who have been able to recover from the biggest catastrophe in their country's history.

Bengi

On January 12th, the house that Bengi lived in with her three sisters, mother and step-father collapsed because of the earthquake. For four months, Bengi’s family lived with her grandmother and some other family members – a total of nine people living in a house the size of two sofas.

In April, Bengi’s older sister was finally able to procure a tent, where her family huddled together and prayed that the heavy rains and hurricanes wouldn’t wash away their temporary home.

Fondwa, where Bengi lived, was one of the areas severely affected by the earthquake. Many people had their homes damaged or destroyed completely. Dangerous landslides washed houses and livelihoods away.

In July, BRAC began a housing project in Fondwa. We worked with local community members and provided training on how to build houses that are earthquake and hurricane resistant.

We got to work hiring and training local staff and procuring local materials, thus providing an important boost to the local economy and teaching community members much-needed skills in carpentry and construction.

Now, Bengi and her family have a brand new house. As she sits out on the porch doing her homework, she has confidence that it will stand through any hurricane or earthquake.

Realizing the Potential of Southern Sudan: Joyce Invests in Entrepreneurship

Joyce has been a tailor for a long time. She makes clothes for her five children and then some. A new order has come in to make uniforms for the local kindergarten school nearby.

“I taught my husband how to use the sewing machine, so he can help me when I have lots of work”, she says, as she beams at her black and gold sewing machine.

There was a time though when life was much harder. Living in a household of 13 people means that everything must stretch, and in the war torn region of Southern Sudan even essentials are scarce.

When Joyce first encountered BRAC, through a survey conducted by a BRAC community organizer, she was working odd jobs with local crafts and making bed sheets. The cost of buying sewing notions was exorbitant and there were few customers. The family could not afford the school fees to send two of the children to school.

Her first BRAC loan was for about $220 (500 Sudanese Pounds), which she used to get additional tailoring training and buy a sewing machine.

“I didn’t want to sew bed sheets any more. I want to make fancy clothes that ladies wear” she said about her decision to start a home based business to make more professionally designed womens apparel.

Joyce paid off her loan in time and applied for a larger loan of almost $350 (800 Sudanese Pounds). She used this to buy supplies, material and notions for a diverse set of womens apparel. Her clothes sell well. She’s even looking to import Kitenge fabric from Uganda and the Congo, to design and sell in the local markets. She earns a monthly profit of over $200.

Joyce is expecting her third loan of $520 (1200 Sudanese Pounds) soon.

“My husband helps me now. If I get more work, maybe I will employ and train more women to help me”.

Stories of Success in Haiti: Dieulita (Part 3/5)

As we count down to the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, we'd like to reflect on the stories of the individuals we've helped recover and rebuild their lives. This series of posts includes the stories of people who have been able to recover from the biggest catastrophe in their country's history.

Dieulita

This is the story of a member of Fonkoze’s Chemen Lavi Miyo program, for which BRAC provides technical assistance.

Eight months ago when Dieulita Fleuri became a member of Fonkoze’s Chemen Lavi Miyo project in the Central Plateau, her life was consumed with just one task each day: finding food for her five children. Eking out a daily existence consumed Dieulita, yet rarely did her children eat on consecutive days.

“Most days, I would boil leaves and hope the next day would be better” she says. Things became so difficult that she sent her two oldest daughters, 16 and 18 years old, to live with a cousin in Port-au-Prince. Her sons, 12 and 14 years old, ran away to live with their dad in the Artibonite 15 miles away. She has a three-year-old with the man she has been living with for the past six years.

Today, Dieulita is making big plans. Dieulita has confidence in her future. “For the first time in my life, I look forward to waking up and starting my day.” She plans to send for her boys, now that she believes she will be able to put food on the table for them regularly. She hopes one day her daughters will return and work with her.

Although she has just begun, Dieulita is building a successful business. Since becoming a CLM member, she has been training to become a micro-entrepreneur. With the help of the program, she started selling food products such as rice, oil, beans and sugar.

“There was too much competition,” she says. So with the help of her case manager, she switched to selling chickens and ducks.

This business has flourished. “On a good day, I can buy 10 to 20 chickens and ducks and resale them that same day at a good profit in the market place.” She goes to work at the open market three times a week, and spends the rest of the week tending to her goats and her small farm plot at home.

Before starting CLM, Dieulita had virtually no assets, and certainly no assets that would produce income. She was given three goats through the program, but now, just eight months later, she has six goats. She also has many chickens and a small garden of corn and beans.

Realizing the Potential of Southern Sudan: Introduction

This Sunday, January 9th 2011, is a historic day for Southern Sudan, when over 4 million registered voters will cast their ballot to decide whether or not the south secedes from the north to create a new independent nation. This referendum for independence is the culmination of a peace process ending decades of conflict between the north and the south. The conflict that spanned four decades with a brief respite ultimately killed more than an estimated 2 million people and continued until the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed in January 2005—exactly six years ago.

While, political analysts believe that the referendum will yield a new state, peace will be fragile. There is much to accomplish in Southern Sudan where over 51%of the population live below the poverty line, and the literacy rate stand at a paltry 24%. Moreover, there are continued border disputes with the north over the oil rich regions of Abyei.


BRAC, with 38 years of experience working in post conflict countries like Bangladesh and Afghanistan, entered Southern Sudan in 2007. Since then BRAC Southern Sudan has become the largest NGO and provider of microfinance in the country. Operating across seven states, BRAC works with poor communities to create greater self reliance and economic stability through an integrated approach – with financial services and livelihood development as well as health, education and capacity building.

BRAC believes that the time to invest in peace in Southern Sudan is now -- at this crucial juncture, and investing in peace means investing in the people, especially those who are the most vulnerable and excluded. Over the next week as Southern Sudan goes to vote for new area of hope and expectation, we will feature stories from the field, highlighting BRAC’s work to enable the poorest people of South Sudan to realize their potential.

Click here for more information about BRAC Southern Sudan.

Click here for more information about the referendum.

Stories of Success in Haiti: Nicola (Part 2/5)

As we count down to the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, we'd like to reflect on the stories of the individuals we've helped recover and rebuild their lives.  This series of posts includes the stories of people who have been able to recover from the biggest catastrophe in their country's history.

Nicola

As a grandmother, Nicola not only works to provide for herself, but also to help support her children and grandchildren.

Even before the earthquake, Nicola had trouble doing this.

She tried to cultivate rice and maize, but found it to be too difficult. Even for young people, cultivating rice and maize is a backbreaking endeavor, and Nicola had little information about good quality seeds, fertilizer, or planting methods that would help her get the most out of her crops.

Four months ago, one of BRAC’s staff approached her and asked her to become part of our pilot nursery program. She agreed, and was given seeds and materials to start a tree nursery.

BRAC gave her seeds for papaya, mango, avocado and timber trees, and taught her how to plant and care for the seeds so that they grow into seedlings (small trees) which she could sell on the market. A BRAC staff person visits her weekly to see how the trees are doing and to give her tips.

Three months after starting the program, Nicola had seedlings large enough to make her first sale: four papaya trees at HTG 30 apiece. Not only is Nicola’s micro-franchise generating income for her and her family, but it’s helping to reforest her country.

Stories of Success in Haiti: Viola (Part 1/5)

As we count down to the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, we'd like to reflect on the stories of the individuals we've helped recover and rebuild their lives.  This series of posts includes the stories of people who have been able to recover from the biggest catastrophe in their country's history.

Viola

Viola Saint Fleur is 32 years old. She had a small road-side business and was on the road when the earthquake started. She fell down when the shaking began, and a building crumbled on top of her. She faded in and out of consciousness for several hours, and was taken to the hospital by community volunteers, where she finally woke up.

The doctors at the hospital informed Viola that her leg was severely damaged and they had no choice but to amputate it. She was extremely shocked and upset.
Viola did not receive any support from her partner, who left her after her amputation. While he sends money to help with their 9-year-old daughter’s school fees, he’s not providing any other support.

Unable to walk, Viola was not able to work at her road-side business, and had no way to generate income to care for herself and her daughter. Each day is a struggle for Viola and her child.
Then, a neighbor told Viola about BRAC’s Limb and Brace Center. After her first visit, she thought, “They will give me the ability to walk. … I was happy.”

Two weeks later, Viola had a brand new prosthetic leg, designed out of durable material that is easy to clean and maintain. She practiced walking on her new leg, which felt heavy at first, and gradually grew accustomed to it.

Soon after, Viola was back to work. “I do the same business as before,” she says. “I have no problem.”

Now, instead of worrying about how to provide for her family, Viola spends her free time playing with her daughter. She hopes that her daughter will grow up to be a doctor, so she can help people, too.