Cornell MBA student pursues her dream internship at Aarong

I am a first year MBA student at the Johnson School at Cornell University. This past year I was studying Sustainable Global Enterprise and social entrepreneurship and am so thrilled to be doing my internship with BRAC-Aarong this summer. Most first-year MBA students take internship positions with large banks, consumer package goods companies or other corporations. And while many of my classmates came to b-school to purse these more traditional paths, I envisioned a career where I would be able to merge my creative background with my newly honed business skills and work for a company that considered social and environmental needs in addition to the bottom line. But honestly, when I first started looking for an internship, I thought that this was a pipe dream.


It was in the middle of a half-hearted internship search that I first heard about BRAC and Aarong in my Sustainable Global Enterprise class at Cornell. Through the course of the talk delivered by Santhosh Ramdoss, BRAC USA Program Manager, our class learnt about BRAC’s unique and successful approach to aid and development, and about a BRAC social enterprise called Aarong. As an ethically sourced textile company, Aarong employs thousands of rural artisans across Bangladesh. My ears perked up. Coming from the art industry, I had a particular interest in working with crafts people and was interested in BRAC’s work with local artisans.

As I learned more about Aarong, I was amazed by the company’s tremendous success. But what I was most drawn to was Aarong’s reputation within Bangladesh. The company is so highly regarded mainly for its gorgeous, fashion-forward designs and house wares that celebrate Bangladeshi techniques and motifs. The opportunity was also appealing because, until I went back to school, I had spent my entire professional life living and working in New York City. And after a semester of reading and hearing about business in the developing world, I wanted to immerse myself in another country. Being in Dhaka and navigating a new business landscape and immersing myself in a new culture is an incredible opportunity and adds another layer to my experience that I would not have had I stayed in the States. This summer, to me is about more than just my project with Aarong. It will surely inform my career and business choices moving forward and gives me hope that there are opportunities to pursue all of my interests and to make the career that I want.


During my first week at Aarong, my goal was to immerse myself in the company and to learn as much as I could about this unique company. Part of that was taking a trip to see one the many Aarong production centers. I was incredibly fortunate that Rafiq Islam, Program Head of the Ayesha Abed Foundation, offered to take me to Manikganj, the largest and oldest of the production centers, located a few hours west of Dhaka. Rafiq bhai has been with BRAC since 1978 and on the drive up gave me a history of BRAC and told me some amazing stories about what it was like in the very early days of the organization. He told me that at one point when he first started, things were so tough, that he nearly quit. He promised Sir Abed that he would give it three more months, and wound up staying for more than 30 years.




When we arrived in Manikganj, we met up with Susan Davis, President & CEO of BRAC USA, who was visiting with BRAC USA board member - Bridget Liddell, British MP - Robert Evans, and Emma Earl. They graciously allowed me to accompany them as they went to visit several of BRAC’s programs in the surrounding villages. As a social enterprise, a portion of Aarong’s profits go towards BRAC’s development work (the rest are re-invested in the company). It was so inspiring to have the chance to see those programs at work. In addition to a tour of Aarong’s main facility, we went to one of the production sub-centers a few miles away. The sub-centers are the heart and soul of Aarong. Though they receive some training from Aarong, many had learned the stitches and techniques from their mothers and grandmothers. There were women of all ages there, including a young girl who was working for the sub-center as a summer job to save money for books and clothes for the school year. Seeing the women at work (many were doing hand embroidery on a gorgeous pink sari) made me so proud to work for and to wear Aarong!

Jessica Fracassini

MBA Class of 2012

The Johnson School at Cornell University

An Author's Guide to "Leveraging Good Will"

One of summer’s must-read books for business, CSR, and nonprofit leaders is Leveraging Good Will: Strengthening Nonprofits by Engaging Businesses. Written by Alice Korngold, CEO of Korngold Consulting LLC, the book demonstrates how nonprofits and for-profit firms can create powerful synergies and transform society through meaningful alliances. As the book points out, many of the partnerships between nonprofits and businesses are too often characterized by frustration. Although businesses recognize the benefits of engaging in the community, their participation mainly consists of all-day volunteer marathons that end up being mostly for show. Many business people do not know how to become meaningfully involved with nonprofit work they value, while many nonprofits do not know how to capitalize on the talents of business people.

Leveraging Good Will shows the substantial impact that can occur when the interests of businesses and nonprofits are aligned. By using real world success stories, the book includes numerous accounts of how nonprofits can draw upon the expertise, experience, relationships, and funding of business people. Through her work, Ms. Korngold has found that the key is to match volunteer candidates based on their interests, qualifications, and the needs of nonprofit institutions. This book provides a step-by-step blueprint to help nonprofits leverage business volunteers to strengthen governance and improve organizational effectiveness.

Alice Korngold, President & CEO, Korngold Consulting LLC, consults to global corporations, professional services firms, foundations, and the boards of directors of global, national and regional nonprofits for corporate social responsibility (CSR), leadership development, and nonprofit board governance. As an expert blogger for Fast Company, she recently wrote a piece about BRAC.

In Commemoration of the Day of the African Child, the Honorable State Minister of Karamoja Visits BRAC Uganda Programs

The below post was written with contributions from Dr. Nicola Banks. Dr Banks works with BRAC's Research and Evaluation Unit in Uganda. She previously worked for BRAC Research and Evaluation Division in Bangladesh, before completing her PhD in Development Policy and Management with The Brooks World Poverty Institute, The University of Manchester. She remains an Honorary Research Fellow at the Brooks World Poverty Institute.

Thirty-five years ago, thousands of school-aged children in Soweto, South Africa took to the streets to demand the right to a quality education and instruction in their native language. Over 100 of these children died, and more than 1,000 were injured. The Organization for African Unity (now the African Union) initiated the Day of the African Child in 1991 to commemorate this event. Since then, the continent has come together every year on June 16^th to celebrate the hopes and needs of its children.

For this year’s celebration of the Day of the African Child, the focus was on the estimated 30 million street children across Africa. BRAC Uganda, in collaboration with UNICEF, took part in this event by hosting a visit from the Honorable Barbara Oundo Nekesa, State Minister for Karamojan Affairs. Many of Uganda’s estimated 10,000 street children come from the Honorable Minister’s region of Karamoja. As one of the poorest regions in the country, these children were forced to migrate due to severe drought, poverty, food insecurity, and decades of conflict that ravaged this area.

Since the cessation of conflict in Karamoja, renewed attention has been paid to developing this region. As part of this effort, BRAC Uganda launched 120 Empowerment and Livelihood for Adolescents (ELA) clubs dedicated to the social and economic empowerment of young girls. In the morning, the clubs serve 25 pre-school children with care and stimulation through toys, games and support. In the afternoon, the clubs provide livelihood and life-skills training, as well as a customized microfinance program, for adolescent girls between the ages of 13 and 20.

The Honorable Minister had the opportunity to meet and speak to many of the beneficiaries of the ELA clubs, many of whom are former street children. The Minister was particularly touched to hear the testimonial of one young girl who, due to poverty, was separated from her parents and forced to find employment away from her hometown. Her journey first took her to Kampala by bus, and from there, she moved from city to city and even ended up in Southern Sudan. Throughout this time, she struggled to find work opportunities, slept on the streets, and was unable to find food. When she returned to Iriiri, Karamoja last year after the long journey back home, she was finally reunited with her parents and joined BRAC Uganda’s ELA club. She explained how BRAC’s programs are providing the necessary support to keep her—and many other girls—off the streets.

After meeting with beneficiaries, the Honorable Minister inaugurated BRAC Uganda’s programs by distributing the assets of girls who were awarded for their successful completion of vocational training. Those who undertook courses in poultry rearing received a chicken coop, ten chickens, and a month’s worth of chicken feed. Those who undertook agricultural training received a variety of different seeds to plant during the rainy season. Throughout the next few months, club mentors and trainers will work closely with these girls to ensure that they are able to fully utilize their new assets in order to earn an income for themselves and their families.

At the end of her visit to BRAC’s programs, the Honorable Minister gave a strong message of support to BRAC Uganda and its partners in Karamoja. She reaffirmed the Government's commitment to programs like BRAC’s that provide key opportunities and support to children so that they will no longer be forced to migrate from their homes.

Address of Sir F. H. ABED, Chairman, Board of Trustees, BRAC University on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of BRAC University

"It is a great pleasure for me to be present at the 10th Anniversary Celebration of BRAC University (BU). It is good to be with you all – members of the Board of Trustees, Faculty, Staff Alumni and Distinguished Guests and Friends of the University.

The three institutions, in the founding of which, I have been intimately involved are of course BRAC, BRAC Bank and BRAC University. I recall that by the time BRAC celebrated its 10th anniversary it had not of course achieved anywhere near the eminence the organisation has now achieved. But BRAC was then involved in a nationwide programme to promote Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) to combat morbidity and mortality from Diarrhoea. We visited every household in rural Bangladesh promoting the use of oral saline from house to house reaching 13 million households. As a direct result of this programme Bangladesh later experienced the fastest decline of child mortality in South Asia and our Prime Minister received UN MDG prize in 2010. By 1980, the 8th year of the founding of BRAC I was awarded the Magsaysay prize – known as the Asian Nobel.

BRAC Bank also celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year. Started in 2001 as the 30th smallest commercial bank it is now the 6th largest, pioneering small and medium enterprise (SME) lending through 151 branches and 420 unit offices through out the country serving 1.2 million clients. One technological innovation BRAC Bank is scheduled to launch next month is bKash through which millions of cell phone owners will have access to bKash account at BRAC Bank and will be able to deposit and withdraw money through thousands of bKash agents throughout the country and transfer funds through their cell phones without requiring any intermediaries. This will allow millions of hitherto un-banked people to access banking services.

How far have we come in 10 years with BRAC University?
We have set sail for the moon – in the ambitious entry by the University’s Electrical Engineering department to a NASA competition has already taken us part of the way there.

On the ground as well we have made great progress. We wanted BRAC University to provide broad based education which focused on both professional and personal development. Towards this end we have successfully introduced a residential semester in our Savar campus which has become a distinguishing feature of the undergraduate education at the BRAC University.

In order to better equip our teachers to help students unlearn unproductive practices such memorisation and nurture their creativity, we have established a Teaching Learning Centre (TLC). All faculty, however experienced, will be required to be acquainted with modern methodologies of student centred teaching.

Our Architecture and Law faculty has distinguished themselves for not only their excellent academic programme but also for their involvement in community service activities – both faculty and students of the Law department through their moot court society have been zealously involved in promoting better understanding and awareness of our liberation war to the present generation throughout the country – our Architecture department have been involved in designing cyclone shelters after the cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh and in designing and building low cost housing which is currently on-going in Haiti which experienced a devastating earthquake of December 2009.

BU is well known for its post graduate institutes the oldest of which is the Institute of Educational Development (IED). The Institute offers M. Ed degree course in Educational Leadership, Planning and Management for Upazilla Education Officers and MSc in Early Child Development (ECD) in collaboration with Columbia University. These courses are not available in any other university in Bangladesh. The Institute is presently deeply involved in supporting the government in designing and developing curricula and textbooks for primary education in Bangladesh.

The School of Public Health (SPH) is now undergoing transition from public health to Global Health. In collaboration with ICDDR,B and other national institutions the School is planning to offer courses to other health care professionals such as midwives and nurses in addition to an expanded M. Ph programme catering to students from Bangladesh and other developing countries in Asia and Africa. The Institute also has a substantial research agenda and conduct short training courses for Bangladeshi health care professionals.

The Institute of Governance Studies (IGS) offers M.A. in Governance and Development and have so far trained three batches of mid-career civil servants. It brings out annually a very influential State of Bangladesh’s Governance Report and has been working on accountability issues to improve governance in Bangladesh.

BRAC Development Institute (BDI) the newest of the Institutes offers a Masters in Development Studies (MDS) and new course on Development Practice which started this year. BDI has been involved in cutting edge research on pathways to women’s empowerment and is slated to contribute to new knowledge creation for a better understanding of developmental dynamics – economic, social and political.

We believe that really a good education not only challenges students to learn what is known in a discipline but also teaches them to grasp how knowledge is created. We want to develop an institution that would contribute not only to disseminating knowledge but to the creation of it. Towards this, we envision that research would form an integral part of the regular activities not only in the postgraduate institutes but also in BU’s undergraduate programme.

I should be remiss in my duty if I don’t mention the seminal research being carried out by Dr. Mumit Khan and his team in furthering our national ambition to achieve digital Bangladesh, or the effort of Centre for Languages (CfL) toward improving English language skills among our students and BRAC staff waiting to be deployed in its international programme. CfL also offers our students opportunities to learn modern Asian languages such as Mandarin and Korean in addition to more readily available French, Spanish and Arabic.

It may be interesting for you to know about level of support BRAC has provided to the University over the past 10 years. The support has been both intellectual and financial.
Three of BRAC’s Deputy Executive Directors have previously served as Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dean of the School of Public health and Director of Governance Studies. Four of BRAC’s directors currently serve as Pro-VC, Director IED, Director CfL and Honorary Treasurer. Two of BRAC Governing Body members have left the board to serve as Vice Chancellor and Dean of the School of Public Health.

Over the years BRAC has mobilised and disbursed donor support of Taka 63.65 crore to the University and has paid cash grants of Taka 27.62 crore. BRAC is in the process of transferring 4.17 acres of land to the University for its New Campus. The current value of this land is Taka 215 crores.

Ten years in the life of an institution is not significant especially for a university. Universities tend to have a very long life. In 1994 while receiving an Honorary Degree from the Queens University in Canada I met a student awaiting his Ph. D degree. His research topic was sustainable institutions. He had looked at 500 European Institutions of the 16th century but found only 33 survive today. Twenty nine of these 33 are universities – Oxford, Cambridge, Sorbourn, Heidelberg, Bologna,Upsala – 2 churches one parliament and one business.

A day indeed will come when for Bangladesh society, development organisations like BRAC as they are today will be redundant and will need to redefine their goals. But it is our dream that BRAC University as a Centre of Excellence in Education and Research will thrive and prosper through the centuries ahead and provide vigor and vibrancy to the society as is still being provided by Heidelberg, Sorbourn, Oxford and Harvard.

Thank you all very much.
Thank you."

More than Microfinance: How BRAC Uganda Empowers Adolescents

The blow post is by Michele Wehle, a Kiva Fellow working in Kampala, Uganda. You can see the original post on the Kiva: Stories from the Field blog.

Daily life in Bangladesh, the birthplace of BRAC

A Bengali organization founded almost 40 years ago, BRAC is one of the largest NGO’s in the world. BRAC does tremendous work in and outside of Bangladesh, and has programs promoting economic development, health, education, gender justice – the list goes on. When I found out I would be working with BRAC this past April I was excited since it is such a pioneering organization, but I was also really looking forward to working with BRAC since I have a soft spot in my heart for Bangladesh. I had the chance to live in Bangladesh for four months last year as a social business intern at the Yunus Centre, and my time in the country was certainly life altering. Dhaka was not an easy place to live, the sheer number of people is overwhelming and unlike anything I have ever experienced (imagine fitting half the US population into Iowa). The Bengali hospitality and warmth made my time there special however. And truthfully, I couldn’t wait to show off the three Bengali phrases and five words I knew! Apart from my excitement, I realized I didn’t know much about BRAC and that I would have alot to accomplish once in Uganda.

Reality on the ground: The situation is bleak for many adolescents in Uganda. A report by USAID stated that 14% of Ugandan children have lost one or more parents in the past decade due to the conflict in the north and/or to HIV/AIDS. Many young adults have difficulty obtaining meaningful employment, even with a University degree, and for those who do not complete primary and secondary school finding substantial employment is even harder. These hurdles are why BRAC’s Empowerment and Livelihoods for Adolescents (ELA) program is so important. Adolescent girls between the ages of 13-22 can join an ELA “club” and learn essential life skills that touch on family planning, financial literacy, and leadership. The goal of the ELA program is to make girls productive members of society, and to give them a chance at improving their lives,

ELA loan recipient. Photo provided by BRAC Uganda.

paving the way for future generations. Once girls have completed a livelihoods training course in a profession of interest, they can apply for an ELA loan to start a small business of their own. Some of the ELA girls I’ve met are starting food stall businesses selling local Ugandan specialities, others are delving into jewelry or makeup businesses. ELA loans are small in nature and average around $150, but they provide these ambitious girls with the wherewithal to better their lives when circumstances in the past prevented them from doing so. The ELA program would not make nearly as great an impact if it only lent money to adolescents however. The information and sense of  community the program provides and confidence it instills in the girls is what sets it apart from other development initiatives. Additionally, ELA clubs employ adolescent girls aged 19 or older who are already part of the program as mentors responsible for running club activities and leading training courses for younger girls. This provides a role model for younger girls and an additional source of income for the mentors.

What about the boys? Since the BRAC ELA program began in Uganda in 2008, 690 clubs for girls have been started which have reached almost 25,000 adolescents. While the focus of the ELA program is on vulnerable adolescent girls, the program has placed nearly 300 boys through vocational training. I am a proponent for lifting up vulnerable adolescents, girls in particular, but I do think it is imperative that vulnerable boys not be forgotten. BRAC’s vocational training program for boys not only trains orphaned/vulnerable boys in a variety of occupations, including electrical installation, carpentry, and plumbing, but also assists in job creation and job placement for the boys upon the completion of the training. Without this assistance and mentorship, the road these boys would have to travel to become men would be even more difficult and frustrating. Focusing on one half of gender (typically females) can inadvertently set that focused half back and erase any gains that have been made. Although ELA primarily focuses on girls, it was refreshing to see BRAC reaching out to disadvantaged boys.

Women helping women: All of BRAC’s ELA credit officers and program managers are women, which helps solidify the bond and trust girls seek when entering the program. Since many sensitive and possibly taboo topics are discussed, having an accomplished woman to look up to and chat with may make many of these girls days a little easier. If anything, the ELA program provides a refuge for many disadvantaged adolescents, as well as a sense of purpose, some hope, and a reason to lift their heads a little higher than before.

KF Michele Wehle, Kiva Coordinator Sauda Masibo, and ELA Credit Officers at the BRAC Uganda country office

Highlights of Microfinance USA Conference

On May 23, 2011 Susan Davis, President & CEO of BRAC USA participated in a panel titled "Social Entrepreneurship and Microfinance." The panel discussion revealed a number of valuable lessons. Natalia Oberti Noguera, founder and CEO of the Pipeline Fund, moderated the panel. Simonida Cvejic contributed interesting ideas based on her experience in founding the Bay Area Medical Academy, and Jessica Jackley, co-founder of ProFounder, provided interesting insights. Susan Davis discussed the widespread impact of her book Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs To Know, written with David Bornstein to highlight answers to common questions within the field of social entrepreneurship. Susan explains that, "part of the message of the book is that we are writing the chapters together. That is the spirit of everyone can find his or her own power to be a change-maker and contribute to solving the things we find troublesome."

The premise of this panel revolved around learning from business owners about their ideas on how small businesses can create large-scale social impact. One looming question at hand is how an individual can successfully facilitate change and target that change toward a brighter future. One member of the audience argued that had this conference been held ten years ago, the business world would be miles ahead of where it is currently. It was further advocated that these values should be integrated as immediately as possible into the minds and strategies of business owners and workers worldwide.

The advice and expertise of these four inspiring women can be combined into seven outstanding lessons for the world of rising entrepreneurs:

1. Share the power. More can always be accomplished by a group through team collaboration than by one single individual. If rising entrepreneurs have the opportunity to share the responsibilities and burdens of conquering global issues, they should. Working as a united force not only helps others by sharing your expertise, but it helps you and your cause by gaining the expertise of others. We must embrace the spirit of saying, "Let's work as a team!" When people get interested in the vision and mission of a given project, they want to help out because you are giving them the power and the voice to be heard and to make a lasting impact.

2. Have open conversations. Not just about the what, but the how: how you do things, the values you want to uphold in the process. If you can translate those values into a working, functioning company day after day, you will witness increasing numbers of people align with your mission and goals. Everyone involved should be completely aware of the goals of the company. Have them be active participants in the conversation. Talk closely and make decisions together.

3. Be yourself. Be honest, be who you are, and the right community will form a support unit around you. Have the confidence to be absolutely convinced that you can be a change-maker and you will be. Everyone is capable of finding his or her own ability to be a change-maker and contribute to solving the things that we find problematic in the world.

4. Ask for help when you need it. Your community, family, friends, and fellow entrepreneurs are there to help you. One cannot succeed without the others, and no one can succeed alone. Help the world to overcome glory and greed by becoming a member of one unconditionally giving unit.

5. Promote equal access. It is tremendously difficult to provide the poorest populations with access to the field of entrepreneurship because very few investors are willing to risk losing high quantities of money. In fact, very few investors are interested in making small enterprise loans at all. As a community we have a lot of questions to answer about how we can remove capital as a barrier to entrepreneurship. One magic piece of legislation won't do it. Instead, we need to think creatively about how we can promote access to capital for marginalized and poor populations.

6. Strengthen the community. Individuals asking similar questions, exploring similar tactics, experiencing similar changes and innovations should acknowledge the overlap in interest and challenges among his or her fellow entrepreneurs. This social entrepreneurship movement is urgent - we need the change-makers in every community to work together to ensure their own success as well as the success of others.

7. Don't succumb to fear. Whatever is calling to you, whatever you fall in love with, go for it. Encourage yourself to make clear goals, decide what steps you need to take to get there, identify obstacles that may arise and work your way around them. It is easy to fall into the trap of being your own deepest ditch or your own worst enemy. Don't let the fear of failure keep your from your chance at success.

The experts on this panel unequivocally encourage those who want to be a change-maker to take a leap of faith. Things may not be perfect, in fact a number of things are bound to go wrong. The key is to learn from those obstacles and grow to become that stronger, wiser and more experienced.

Inspiration and Hope in Afghanistan

In 2002, shortly after the fall of the Taliban, BRAC initiated programs in Afghanistan. In the span of nine years of operations, BRAC has grown to become the country's largest and most sustainable development organization employing over 3,000 people, 90% of whom are local Afghans and over 40% of whom are women.

This year BRAC has already disbursed over $21 million in microloans to 150,000 borrowers, over 80% of whom are women. Safia aged 32, for example, took out a BRAC small business loan for 70,000 Afghanis ($1,555) so she could improve her beauty shop in the Kabul neighborhood of Polisukhta. Safia had to ask permission from her husband to get the loan, but said her success had earned her more respect from him.

"When I got the money it helped me to do a lot of work in my shop," said Safia, a mother of two. "I will be able to make an independent future."

To date, 23,000 Afghans received capacity-building training at BRAC’s training center. In addition, BRAC Aghanistan focuses on educating and empowering youth through the Empowerment and Livelihoods for Adolescents (ELA) and Education programs. Currently, 251 adolescent girls’ clubs are serving 6,800 girls, 1,100 schools are serving 34,000students. Success isn't just in the numbers, it's in the girls themselves. When BRAC USA President & CEO Susan Davis visited a BRAC school in Afghanistan, she met Sonia, an ambitious girl who unapologetically wants "to become a dancer ... in New York."

BRAC’s network of 6,900 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) provide essential health services to communities with a combined population of 6.3 million. Although Shaimais, a mid-wife in a town north of Kabul, was unable to achieve her childhood dream of becoming a doctor, she now administers ante and post natal care, family planning instruction and delivers babies. When asked what she likes best about her job as a BRAC CHP, she replies "When I help save the life of a baby or its mother, that is what makes me feel best of all."

With the 10-year anniversary of Afhgan independence, BRAC's work in the country has set a great leading example of South-South collaboration at work. BRAC's work in Afghanistan is empowering individuals, particularily women, to create better futures for themselves, their families and their communities.

Inspiration from BRAC Haiti's Limb and Brace Center

With a decade of experience operating a Limb and Brace Center in Bangladesh, BRAC opened the doors of its Limb and Brace Center in Port-au-Prince on September 16th, 2010 in order to address the needs of an estimated 2,000 to 4,000 Haitians who had undergone amputation or suffered other physical injuries as a result of the earthquake. BRAC's prosthetic and orthotic devices are designed to be durable and easy to maintain, enabling adults to return to work and children to return to school. Since April, BRAC Haiti has provided prosthetic treatment to 71 patients, orthotic treatment to 278 patients and physiotherapy and counseling services to 76 patients.

Viola Saint Fleur, aged 32 years and a patient of BRAC, had a small road-size business and was on the road when the earthquake struck. When the tremors began, she fell down and a neighboring building collapsed on her. She faded in and out of consciousness for several hours and was eventually taken to the hospital by community volunteers. When 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.

After the amputation, Viola was unable to walk. She could not operate her road-side business and had no way of generating an income for herself and her daughter. Viola's partner, who left her after the amputation, did not provide her with any support other money for their child's school fees. Each day was a struggle for Viola and her child.

Then, a neighbor told Viola about BRAC's Limb and Brace Center. After her visit, she thought, "They will give me the ability to walk...I was happy." Two weeks later, Viola was fitted with a 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 others.

Photo Credit: BRAC/Nadia Todres

Christy Turlington: Back to Bangladesh -- Day 1

Below is post from Christy Turlington Burns, founder of the non-profit organization, Every Mother Counts and Director/Producer of the documentary film "No Woman, No Cry". In this article, originally published on Huffington Post, Christy Turlington Burns writes about her experience of returning to Bangladesh for the first time since filming the segment on BRAC's Manoshi project aimed at improving maternal health in the slums of Dhaka.

Two and a half years ago, I traveled to Bangladesh to film for my documentary, No Woman, No Cry. A year after the film's completion and world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2010, I have finally returned. This was the first country we visited while filming but the last to which we have brought it back. Bangladesh is also the furthest distance from New York, where I happen to live. To give you a sense of just how far away it is, I joined Erin Thornton, the Executive Director of Every Mother Counts, and Heather Armstrong, our first EMC delegation guest, at JFK Thursday evening on June 16th, and it was not until 4am Saturday, June 18 that we arrived in Dhaka. Julie Smolyansky, the CEO of Lifeway Foods, joined us the following morning from Chicago.

But the timing and purpose of this visit is more than just an opportunity to return to share the completed film. We're also incredibly excited to come back to see the considerable progress made in this field for ourselves and to share what is possible with our guests. In the last few months, we have learned that Bangladesh has reduced its maternal mortality rate by 40 percent and is now on track to achieve MDG 5: to improve maternal health and reduce maternal mortality by 75% by 2015. Given that Bangladesh is one of the countries in the world with the highest burden of MMR (maternal mortality rates), this news gives me great hope.

We were greeted at our gate by DFID's Country Director, Chris Austin, when we landed in Dhaka. As early or as late as it was, the airport was bustling. We checked into our hotel at 5am, as the sun was coming up and the birds were starting to chirp themselves awake for the day. We all went to our rooms to settle and do our very best to rest for a few hours before starting our day.

Fortunately for us, we only had an elevator ride to our first destination. We gathered together a group of experts representing several NGOs committed to improving health for vulnerable girls and women as well as insuring their right to access healthcare. We were also joined by Sara Hossain, a Barrister in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, who, since 1992, has focused most of her work in the areas of constitutional, public interest and family law. We heard from representatives of CARE, BRAC, USAID and UNFPA, on their thoughts and observations about how the rates have declined and what role their organizations have played to contribute to this substantial decrease in MMR over the last ten years (from 320 to 194 per 100,000 live births). According to Sara, some of the main drivers of these changes has been a wider understanding of rights, the influence of traditional and alternative media, economic opportunities such as microcredit, and community mobilization- all of which were made possible because of a progressive constitution with human rights built into it in the early 70's.

We took off from there to visit the Kunipara slum with BRAC. BRAC is one of the world's most effective holistic development organizations in the world with a focus on health established here in Bangladesh by Founder Fazle H. Abed. We worked closely with BRAC in 2009 while filming here. In fact, we found our focal characters (Monica, a pregnant mother and Yasmin, a community health worker) who live and work in one of the cities largest, most densely populated slums.

Today, we have been invited to visit another Manoshi program in another slum. It is early in rainy season so no surprise that it began to rain heavily when we arrived at the slums. The program was created to address the fact that nearly 90% of women deliver at home and without trained birth attendants to assist them. They have erected urban birthing centers throughout the slums quarters where women are encouraged to come to give birth with a trained attendant in a hygienic, safe facility. They are also provided prenatal care through community birth attendants who visit them in their homes.

Inside, a group of pregnant women were attending a prenatal education course with a community health worker. All the women gathered for the meeting are in their 3rd trimester. Many of them are pregnant for the first time. A mom who had just delivered in the middle of the night was resting in the room next door.

We then walked deeper into the slums to visit a 7-month pregnant woman in her home as she was being visited by a BRAC community health worker. What was most exciting about the experience was witnessing the community health worker using a mobile phone to track the woman's health. This is a pilot program for BRAC and a concept that will be scaled up in the coming months but has great potential to extend health workers' reach and efficiency.

We ended our visit with a reunion with Yasmin, the community health worker profiled in No Woman, No Cry. I was able to share the film for her on a laptop and catch up with her. She said she enjoyed having the opportunity to see it and said it made her appreciate her job working for BRAC even more.

Sharing the film with the participants has made having made this film all the more meaningful. This was a perfect cap for the first day of my return.

Book Review: Give Smart

There’s a new book on our shelf called Give Smart: Philanthropy that Gets Results by Thomas J. Tierney, cofounder of the nonprofit consulting firm The Bridgespan Group, and Joel L. Fleishman, professor of law and public policy at Duke University. By addressing six key questions, the authors provide valuable advice on how to make a positive social impact through effective investments in philanthropy. The book argues that philanthropy is most impactful when investors carefully select a handful of organizations to support. The authors review a number of organizations that have a history of making smart investments, many of which are key BRAC supporters. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Omidyar Network are two such examples. Through “mission related investing,” these organizations have been essential partners in helping BRAC alleviate poverty and empower communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice.

Below is an excerpt from the book:

“Omidyar Network (ON)…invests in for-profit socially oriented businesses, while also making grants to nonprofit organization….An example of the dual approach is ON’s support of BRAC, a Bangladeshi-based development organization focused on poverty alleviation, which is one of the largest NGOs in the world. ON and its sister organization Humanity United have given BRAC both philanthropic and investment capital for its work in Sierra Leone and Liberia; they have made equity investments to support the launch of microfinance operations in both countries; and they are providing grants for local health volunteers who dispense basic care and treatments for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and cholera."

To learn more about Give Smart or to purchase this great philantrhopic investment guide, which is packed with inspiring examples, click here.

A Tough Graduation: Graduating Out of Poverty, III

This post, originally posted on the Jolkona website, is a reflection of Saman Nizami’s experiences and observations during her internship for BRAC’s “Targeting the Ultra-Poor” program in Bangladesh.

This is the last in a series of posts from Saman Nizami about her experiences and observations while interning for BRAC’s “Targeting the Ultra-Poor” program in Bangladesh. You can read her previous posts in the series, A Tough Graduation, part I and part II.

There is much to explore in BRAC’s innovative Targeting the Ultra Poor (TUP) program, given its comprehensive approach towards breaking this vicious poverty cycle for hundreds of thousands of ultra-poor households.  In my previous post, we discussed the healthcare and social development aspects of the program.  We saw how these two components empower women in their communities and households and help them lead healthy lives. In this post, I’ll discuss the final two aspects of financial discipline and the subsistence allowance.

Financial discipline

As I mentioned earlier, microfinance can’t be deemed to be a solution for these ultra-poor women. Since these women were engaged with distress occupations (e.g. domestic servant, begging, etc.) to secure sufficient food to sustain their families on a day-to-day basis, the circumstances inhibited the development of their financial dexterity. These women were intimidated merely by the prospect of taking a loan and could not contemplate saving some of their scant income as a safety-net. As a result, I noticed that the majority of the new TUP recruits were unable to articulate their investment plans for the future due to the lack of training, experience, and confidence.

BRAC helps them achieve financial literacy and assists them with building their savings. Through training and experience in micro-enterprise development and financial planning, the graduates actively participated in the credit market with microfinance loans and successfully managed their portfolios. These women took loans for enterprise investments, house repair, or incidences like their children’s weddings, but not for survival. Additionally, nearly all the graduates I met were building their savings with BRAC, and some with multiple sources.

Thus, giving them opportunities to hone their financial acumen is vital in preparing them to take on microfinance loans and reap the benefits from other conventional development programs.

A snapshot of a Village Organization (VO) Microfinance meeting I observed in Rangpur, Bangladesh

Subsistence Allowance

Some may think that the subsistence allowance (i.e. a cash transfer) is simply equivalent to traditional charity. However, in the situation of these women, who are suffering from dismal poverty and hunger, it serves as a buffer until they are able to stand on their own feet. These subsistence allowances serve as a means to ensure food security for the women and their families. It allows them to focus on their enterprise development and eat three times a day, effectively preventing their families from begging, borrowing, or taking on distress work.

These women can’t benefit from any initial investment if they’re suffering from malnutrition and hunger. Thus, it becomes critical to fulfill their nutritional needs in the initial untenable stages of the program until they establish their micro-enterprises and achieve self-sufficiency.

My final thoughts….

Spending time with these women and observing their challenges (and progress) is when I realized that these components may not be effective individually, but rather the optimal impact is created by addressing all of these areas collectively. Given where these women lie on the poverty scale, if you only address one of the problems, they may inevitably falter in other areas, ultimately reducing the benefits of the intervention. These various support mechanisms are important to the initiative because many different aspects of a woman’s life are intertwined and are thus mutually dependent on each other for strong impact. For example, Tasmeena’s health condition needs to be conducive for managing her economic activities. Similarly, Masooda needed to feel empowered as she may have lacked the confidence and motivation to build her livelihood if she remained isolated in her community.

Nasreen (TUP 2010), Shaheena (TUP 2010), and I in the Sirajganj district of Bangladesh.

As a result of the program’s holistic approach, a substantial number of the graduates I met had the confidence and know-how to expand their enterprises, to make critical decisions for the well being of their families, to provide healthy environments for their families, to establish a support network in their communities, and to promote their rights. Consequently, these women were equipped with the right skills to participate in and benefit from mainstream development programs like microfinance. The optimal combination of interventions to address the myriad needs of these neglected women is no easy task, and BRAC should be commended for their innovation and promising success to date.

Saman Nizami graduated from UCSD with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and History. She is currently working for a Pakistan-based NGO, HOPE (Health Oriented Preventive Education), primarily in disaster response projects aimed to help the victims of the recent2010 floods. She’s also a Project Team Lead for ADP (Association for the Development of Pakistan). During her spare time, Saman enjoys trying new restaurants (particularly sushi), learning North Indian classical singing, watching Bollywood movies, and most recently – tweeting. You can follow her @saman_nizami.

BRAC Afghanistan: Changing the most dangerous place on earth for women

(Source: http://www.trust.org/trustlaw/womens-rights/dangerpoll/)

Today, TrustLaw, which runs AlertNet, published a "Danger Poll" identifying the world's five most dangerous countries for women, with Afghanistan topping the list.  These figures serve only to further motivate our dedicated BRAC Afghanistan staff, who strive every day to change these conditions.

Among the multifaceted BRAC Afghanistan programs in microfinance, health, enterprise development, community development, and education, are 2,297 BRAC schools where 84% of the enrolled students are girls. BRAC is realizing the potential of gender equality in education by increasing the enrollment of young girls through completion of their primary education, and by training local women to teach in these schools.

Success isn't just in the numbers, it's in the girls themselves.  When BRAC USA President & CEO Susan Davis visited a BRAC school in Afghanistan, she met Sonia, an ambitious girl who unapologetically wants "to become a dancer ... in New York."

BRAC is also addressing the high rates of maternal mortality by creating a cadre of Community Health Promoters trained in providing antenatal and post-natal care. BRAC-trained mid-wives have now assisted in thousands of safe childbirths.

Click here to learn more on how BRAC Afghanistan is changing the equation for women in the Afghan society.

AUA Mosaic Scholarship Winner Checks in Before Heading to Bangladesh

The below article was originally posted on the America's Unofficial Ambassadors (AUA) blog.

Alison Horton, our Mosaic Scholarship winner and BRAC volunteer left for Bangladesh on June 1. She has begun to acclimate to life in Bangladesh and has only just seen what her six weeks abroad will offer her. She will be updating us as time progresses about what she is doing and what she is learning. Here is what she has had to say so far:

I may be a very pale, sunburn-prone Catholic girl from freezing cold upstate New York, but I could not be more excited to spend this upcoming summer in the very hot, humid, predominantly Muslim world of Bangladesh. Armed with plenty of sunscreen and a very open mind, I cannot wait to take off. So, why Bangladesh? As a PhD student studying poverty eradication strategies in the developing world, I often come across an organization called BRAC, headquartered in Bangladesh. Continually credited with unprecedented leaps in school enrollment, health, food security, and economic sustainability, BRAC seems to be a pillar of hope in a very uneven and unjust world. Working across the globe combating poverty with holistic, innovative approaches, BRAC has grown to be the world’s largest non-governmental organization. BRAC employs over 100,000 Bangladeshi people, who work to empower the poorest of the poor. I have the incredible opportunity to work with them this summer as a volunteer intern. I will work alongside these Bangladeshi people both in their headquarters and out in the field. Immersed in this rich culture, and placed in this successful organization, I expect that every aspect of my day will be an incredible experience and learning opportunity.

In addition to the personal and professional growth I anticipate through this experience, I am also eager to share my experiences back home. In these weeks leading up to my departure, I find myself answering a similar pattern of questions from friends, family, and strangers alike. When mailing out my visa forms, the local post office worker questioned my plans: “Bangladesh? I didn’t even know Americans were allowed there.” My doctor, when administering the immunizations I had requested, asked if I knew the country was Muslim and “may not be kind to American travelers.” People wondered what I would eat, where I would stay, if I would have running water, etc. My grandmother suggested I fill my suitcase with food so that I wouldn’t starve. I have welcomed these conversations, and love sharing my expectations, curiosities, and plans. While attempting to reassure my loved ones that I will stay safe and healthy, I know that it will be upon my return that my words will have the most impact.

This is not to say that I don’t expect obstacles, frustrations, and difficulties while abroad. Undoubtedly, I will struggle with the language barrier. I’m sure I will feel ill from new foods on more than one occasion. At times I will be uncomfortable, homesick, and culture-shocked. But I feel these are small prices to pay for the incredible experiences I will have and people I will meet. I am so eager to connect with the amazing Bangladeshi people, respect and admire them, form lasting relationships, learn from their culture, and report all my glorious experiences back home.

I do not blame my family and friends for being concerned about my well-being this summer, as unfortunate stereotypes and assumptions regarding both the developing world and the Muslim culture are wide-spread and out of control in our society. I just hope that my positive experience can serve as one small force against such hateful assumptions.

It is exactly this sentiment that drew me to the mission of America’s Unofficial Ambassadors (AUA). Founded on the idea that American citizens have the power to improve our relationship with the Muslim world through personal works of service, AUA seeks to support volunteers traveling to Muslim-majority countries. I plan to forge meaningful relationships across deep cultural divides, and do my small part to form connection and understanding across difference. AUA has provided me with the financial resources to make this trip possible, as well as much support in documenting and sharing my experiences through pictures, video, and blogging. I feel very strongly about AUA’s mission, and I am so grateful and honored to serve as an Unofficial Ambassador. I may spend my summer in this monsoon climate sweaty, sunburned, and soaked, and I truly cannot wait!

A Tough Graduation: Graduating Out of Poverty, II

This post, originally posted on the Jolkona website, is a reflection of Saman Nizami’s experiences and observations during her internship for BRAC’s “Targeting the Ultra-Poor” program in Bangladesh.

To recap on my previous post, BRAC’s “Targeting the Ultra-Poor” (TUP) program takes an integrated approach towards empowering women at the bottom of the poverty ladder. In addition to providing income generating assets and enterprise development training, the other four components of the program play a subtle but vital role in lifting these women out of poverty as well. In this post, I’ll discuss two of these powerful catalysts (i.e. healthcare support and social development) and the other two (i.e. financial discipline and subsistence allowance) in my next post.

Preliminary Healthcare Services and Education

Meet Tasmeena (above). She is a domestic servant, who was recently recruited into the TUP program. Tasmeena suffers from fever frequently, which hinders her from working. Even when I met her, she had a high fever – which I had to diagnose by touching her forehead and wrist because she couldn’t afford basic healthcare essentials like a thermometer. In the past, she has met physicians who suggested she get blood tests, but she never followed through because, again, she could not afford it.

Her weak livelihood and poor health condition were inter-dependent. Her meager income would not allow to her seek formal medical care for treatment or purchase medication. Similarly, her poor health condition was pushing her into further destitution by limiting the manual labor she could perform or making her take days off from work. For Tasmeena and her family, not going to work for a day meant forgoing a day’s income which had dire consequences. Her family may have to starve for the day or she may have to resort to begging for cash and food. Fortunately, BRAC will provide her healthcare services to improve her health condition which will ultimately strengthen her livelihood.

Another strategy of the program is health education. I sat in on one of BRAC’s health education sessions with the TUP members where BRAC’s health volunteers were discussing the importance of feminine hygiene and family planning. See my picture below.

These women are also given hygiene education and essential items like sanitary latrines and tube-wells for safe drinking water to protect them from communicable diseases.

BRAC’s integrated health services aim to improve the nutritional and health statuses of these women and their families. As a result, this improvement in their families’ health plays a key role in stimulating any improvements in the households’ economic conditions.

Above: TUP member, Madhu Bi, wearing sandals and using a tube-well she received from BRAC for safe drinking water. She explained that in the past, her children have suffered from diseases like jaundice and diarrhea, but now they have been much healthier as a result of changing simple practices and receiving key facilities (i.e. sanitary latrine and tube-well).

Social Development

Another important mechanism propelling the program’s success is mobilizing the community and building the human social capital of the rural poor (particularly women). The first time I went to a Gram Daridro Bimochon Committee (GDBC) meeting, a local rural elite committee formed to protect these vulnerable families, the leadership proudly described their responsibilities including information dissemination on health issues, protection of the women’s assets , and advocacy of their rights to the local government. At the meeting, the TUP members were closely following the meeting’s agenda andopenly expressing their thoughts on how to address their communities’ needs. Towards the end, the women and the GDBC gifted a tin house roof to an ill widow purchased through collective donations from the community.  I was amazed to see this strong affinity and urge to help others among these women, despite the difficult conditions they’re in themselves.

Here is a short video I took from one of the GDBC meetings:

As an additional effort in socially empowering women, BRAC’s field staff trains them on social issues that plague their communities. This includes teaching them how to write their name, the importance of marriage and birth certificates, and laws on early child marriage, dowry, etc. These women are then encouraged to uphold their rights, play a more active role in their communities, and strongly resist abuse and exploitation.

Above: BRAC’s field staff teaching Rukhsana how to write her name as part of the social development training.

I met a TUP graduate (2006) named Masooda who has progressed significantly in terms of social development.  When she was recruited to the TUP program, Masooda felt alienated as a poor widow living on her own. Further, she had no time or energy to interact with people because of her arduous manual labor as a domestic servant. However, after graduating from the TUP program, she plays an active role in her community. She frequently gives her community members advice, and even stopped two early child marriages among her relatives by vehemently protesting against it. She is approaching local government representatives to secure her entitlements (i.e. widow allowance) as well.

Another TUP graduate, Afreena, used to be physically tortured by her husband, but she felt like she had no one to turn to. However, now that she generates income and has assets in her ownership, she has authority within the household and her husband treats her with respect. Now, the question that arises is if her husband is treating her well because he considers her to be a source of income, or have his fundamental beliefs about women changed? Will this change be sustained unconditionally in the long term even if Afreena decides to sell her assets and stop contributing to the household? A little too soon to tell…

Nevertheless, it’s clear that lifting these women out of poverty requires the need to intrinsically empower them, where they learn how to protect themselves from marginalization and control their own lives. It also involves instilling perception changes among men and women and dismantling the entrenched ideology of gender inequality.

And it doesn’t stop here…more to come in my next post!

Saman Nizami graduated from UCSD with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and History. She is currently working for a Pakistan-based NGO, HOPE (Health Oriented Preventive Education), primarily in disaster response projects aimed to help the victims of the recent 2010 floods. She’s also a Project Team Lead for ADP (Association for the Development of Pakistan). During her spare time, Saman enjoys trying new restaurants (particularly sushi), learning North Indian classical singing, watching Bollywood movies, and most recently – tweeting. You can follow her @saman_nizami.