brac as profiled by wikipedia

[chris macrae]

Objectives[edit]

BRAC has done what few others have – they have achieved success on a massive scale, bringing life-saving health programs to millions of the world's poorest people. They remind us that even the most intractable health problems are solvable, and inspire us to match their success throughout the developing world.

Bill Gates, Co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Health Award, 2004

Economic development[edit]

BRAC’s Economic Development programme includes microcredit. It provides collateral-free credit using a solidarity lending methodology, as well as obligatory savings schemes through its Village Organisations. Reaching nearly 4 million borrowers, Village Organizations provide loans to poverty groups. BRAC has reached out to those who, due to extreme poverty, cannot access microfinance. BRAC defines such people suffering from extreme poverty as the 'ultra poor', and has designed a programme customized for this group that combines subsidy with enterprise development training, healthcare, social development and asset transfer, eventually pulling the ultra poor into its mainstream microfinance programme.

Jaminder-Ginni dolls made by village artisans. Handicrafts like these are sold by Aarong, BRAC's handicrafts store.

In addition to microfinance, BRAC provides enterprise training and support to its member borrowers in poultry and livestock, fisheries, social forestry, agriculture and sericulture. It provides inputs essential for some enterprises through its ‘Programme Support Enterprises’ that include Poultry farm and disease diagnostic laboratory, Bull Station, Feed Mill, Broiler Production and Marketing, Seed Production, Processing, Marketing and Soil Testing, BRAC Nursery, and Fish and Prawn Hatchery. BRAC’s Vegetable Export programme started in 1998 is a venture that is aimed at bridging the gap between local producers and international markets.^[8] BRAC also focuses on the problem of youth employment, providing assistance for young men and especially women to join the workforce, for example, with programs like the Adolescent Development Program.^[9] BRAC also has a number of commercial programmes that contribute to the sustainability of BRAC’s development programmes since returns from the commercial programmes are channeled back into BRAC’s development activities. These programmes include Aarong, a retail handicraft chain, BRAC Dairy and Food Project, and BRAC Salt.

Education[edit]

BRAC’s Non-Formal Primary Education programme provides five-year primary education course in four years to poor, rural, disadvantaged children and drop-outs who cannot access formal schooling. These one-room schools are for children between eight and fourteen years of age. Each school typically consists of 33 students and one teacher. Core subjects include Mathematics, Social Studies and English. The schools also offer extracurricular activities. As of June 2008, 37,500 Primary Schools and 24,750 Pre-Primary schools have been established by BRAC enrolling nearly 3 million children, 65% of whom are girls. The schools have a drop-out rate of less than 5%.^[10]

BRAC has set up centres for adolescents called Kishori Kendra that provide reading material and serve as a gathering place for adolescents where they are educated about issues sensitive to the Bangladeshi society like reproductive health, early marriage, women’s legal rights etc. BRAC has also set up community libraries 185 out of 964 of which are equipped with computers.^[11]

Public health[edit]

BRAC started providing public healthcare in 1972 with an initial focus on curative care through paramedics and a self-financing health insurance scheme. The programme went on to offer integrated health care services, its key achievements including the reduction of child mortality rates through campaign for oral rehydration in the 80s and taking immunization from 2% to 70% in Bangladesh. BRAC currently provides a range of services that reach an estimated 31 million rural poor and include services for mothers in reproductive health care and infants.In Bangladesh, 78% of births occur in the home. BRAC has implemented a program in which midwives are trained to work in the homes of women to ensure that births are as risk-free as possible. As of December 2007, 70,000 community health volunteers and 18,000 health workers have been trained and mobilized by BRAC to deliver door-to-door health care services to the rural poor. It has established 37 static health centres and a Limb and Brace Fitting Centre that provides low cost devices and services for the physically disabled.^{[citation needed]}

Social development[edit]

In 1996, BRAC started a programme in collaboration with the Ain O Shalish Kendra (ASK) and Bangladesh National Women Leader’s Association (BNWLA) to empower women to protect themselves from social discrimination and exploitation of which dowry, rape, acid throwing, polygamy, domestic violence and oral divorce are common in rural Bangladeshi communities and to encourage and assist them to take action when their rights are infringed. The programme has two components: the Social Development component and the Human Rights and Legal Services component.^[12]

The Social Development component focuses on building human and socio-political assets of the poor – especially women – through institution building, awareness raising, training and collective social mobilizationThe Human Rights and Legal Services component seeks to empower the poor by increasing their awareness of their rights (legal, human and social) and entitlements through participation in activities like the Popular Theatre and through Human Rights and Legal Education (HRLE) classes arranged by BRAC for its Village Organisation members. BRAC also offers external services such as access to lawyers or the police either through legal aid clinics, by helping women report cases at the local police station or when seeking medical care in the case of acid victims. At the end of June 2006, 124,748 HRLE classes were held and 1,332 acid victim cases and 1,735 rape victim cases were reported. brac ^[13]

Disaster relief[edit]

BRAC conducted one of the largest NGO responses to Cyclone Sidr which hit vast areas of the south-western coast in Bangladesh in mid-November 2007. BRAC distributed emergency relief materials, including food and clothing, to over 900,000 survivors, provided medical care to over 60,000 victims and secured safe supplies of drinking water. BRAC is now focusing on long-term rehabilitation, which will include agriculture support, infrastructure reconstruction and livelihood regeneration.^[14]

ICT development[edit]

Established in 1996 as BRAC’s IT/ISP wing, BRACNet Limited is Bangladesh’s one-stop ICT (Information and Communication Technology) solution provider. BRACNet Limited later formed a Joint Venture Company with US investors gNet/DEFTA Partners in 2005 and KDDI Corporation – the second largest cellular operator and Wireless ISP in Japan in 2009.

BRACNet has built its nationwide network utilizing its licensed spectrum. Its network today is based on WiMax and fiber optics technology to serve hundreds of large corporations and thousands of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Educational institutions throughout the country. It serves tens of thousands of residential customers directly or indirectly (through resellers) and rural people through its cybercafé franchises, called "e-hut". For the first time in Bangladesh, the perennially poor can now avail the services available online to improve their quality of life. BRACNet’s core mission is to create a knowledge based society in Bangladesh. As the sister concern of BRAC, BRACNet Limited also believes that profit alone should not be the steering factor in this field. With BRACs knowledge of how rural communities function and by realizing the need to create entrepreneurship among young people, BRACNet has evolved a business model called e-hut.

BRACNet is committed to establish such interconnected e-huts all over Bangladesh using its fixed WiMAX and optical fibre network. More than 70 e-huts are operating in rural Bangladesh. Services provided by e-hut include internet browsing, broadband connectivity, basic computer and IT training, web cam and digital camera srvice, computer compose and printing, computer servicing, graphics designing, and photocopying amenities to the rural community. e-hut hopes to introduce digital services like IP phoning, e-commerce, video conferencing, money transfer and courier services in the future.

Operations outside Bangladesh[edit]

Afghanistan[edit]

BRAC registered in Afghanistan in 2002 and covers 23 out of 34 provinces. Its major programmes in Afghanistan include Microfinance (funding from MISFA), Health, Education, National Solidarity and Capacity Development. Its Microfinance Program has 429 branch offices that have disbursed more than USD 96 million to over 179,000 member households (895,000 people). BRAC runs nearly 2,371 schools which have seen 118,416 students graduate, almost all of whom are girls. BRAC Afghanistan has 3,617 community health workers and 1,390 poultry and livestock extension workers. It has established two Training and Resource Centres in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. BRAC’s staff in Afghanistan includes 3,463 locals and 180 expatriates. {Annual Report, 2007}

Sri Lanka[edit]

BRAC registered in Sri Lanka in 2005 following the devastating Tsunami and initiated relief and rehabilitation activities. Its rehabilitation and livelihood programmes in Sri Lanka covers three districts and 43 divisions. BRAC’s work in Sri Lanka includes the fisheries, agriculture, poultry and livestock, small business, income-generation activities, education and health sectors. As of 2007, it employed 312 staff. {BRAC At a Glance, December 2007}

Pakistan[edit]

BRAC expanded into Pakistan in 2007 and now covers six districts. BRAC Pakistan employs 337 staff members that work in 35 offices that are set up throughout the country. The Microfinance Program supports 837 village organizations that have over 14,544 members. As of 2007, BRAC Pakistan had disbursed over $1,350,000. {BRAC at a Glance, December 2007}

Tanzania[edit]

BRAC Tanzania, established in 2006, has created over 7,619 microfinance village organizations with over 116,000 members and already disbursed more than $160 million. Over 480 community health promoters, 65225 agriculture program farmers and 15681 poultry and livestock farmers have been trained. up to December 2012 it was a field partner of Kiva Microfunds.

As of July 23, 2010, Kiva reported BRAC Tanzania's status as closed with a 0% Delinquency Rate.^[15]

Uganda[edit]

BRAC Uganda’s Microfinance Program has formed over 2,145 village organizations with 59,844 members. To date, the program has disbursed $14.8 million with a repayment rate of 100%. BRAC Uganda has trained 200 community health promoters and opened 122 learning centers in Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps that have enrolled nearly 20,704 learners. {Annual Report, 2007} It is a field partner of Kiva Microfunds.

South Sudan[edit]

In 2007, BRAC started operations in South Sudan. The microfinance program, which consists primarily of returning war refugees, has formed 220 village organizations with over 8,400 members. The cumulative disbursement in 2008 was $1,313,150. BRAC South Sudan has initiated a community-based health program under which community health organizers and health promoters receive training. {Annual Report, 2007} It is a field partner of Kiva Microfunds.

Liberia[edit]

Established in 2008, BRAC launched programs in microfinance, health, agriculture, livestock and poultry; reaching more than 582,000 of the poorest in Liberia. BRAC employs 161 Liberians (71% women) and has mobilised nearly 300 community-based volunteers.^[16]

Sierra Leone[edit]

BRAC opened its offices in Sierra Leone in 2008 and started programmes in 2009. BRAC runs services in microfinance, health, agriculture, livestock and poultry, and by the end of 2009 reached over a quarter of a million Sierra Leoneans with their activities. BRAC provides jobs for 169 Sierra Leoneans (83% female) and supports 323 local volunteers.^[17]

Haiti[edit]

BRAC has provided technical assistance to Fonkoze, Haiti’s largest microfinance organization, to replicate BRAC’s ultra poor program. In 2010, they opened a Limb and Brace Center to support those who were injured in the 2010 Haiti earthquake and an agriculture, poultry and livestock program, including training and support for rural microentrepreneurs to start tree nurseries.^[18]

Philippines[edit]

BRAC launched operations in the Philippines in 2012 in partnership with Australian aid agency AusAID, with plans to operate at least 1,600 pre-primary and primary schools in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. ^[19][20]

Projects[edit]

Partnership with the Nike Foundation[edit]

BRAC is collaborating with Nike’s Girl Effect campaign to launch a new program to reach out to teenagers in Uganda and Tanzania. The Employment and Livelihood for Adolescents program has been successful in Bangladesh and BRAC is now adapting and piloting this program in Africa.^[21]

Countries where BRAC operates[edit]

• Asia: Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines
• Africa: Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Liberia, Sierra Leone
• Caribbean: Haiti
• BRAC provides technical assistance to organizations in Haiti, Sudan, and Indonesia
• BRAC has affiliate organizations in the United Kingdom and United States

Awards[edit]

BRAC Awards[edit]

• Gates Award for Global Health (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), 2004^[22]
• CGAP Financial Transparency Award, 2005 & 2006^[23]
• Independence Award (Shadhinata Puroshkar), 2007
• The Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, 2008
• Devex Top 40 Development Innovator, 2011^[24]
• #1 Nonprofit in International Microfinance (2012)^[25]
• #1 in Top 100 Best NGOs in 2013 (2013)^[26]

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed's awards[edit]

• The Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, 1980.^[27]

• The Alan Shawn Feinstein World Hunger Award, 1990^[28]

• The Maurice Pate Award by UNICEF, 1992 [3]

• The Olof Palme Prize, 2001^[28]

• The Social Entrepreneurship Award by the Schwab Foundation, 2002 [4]

• The International Activist Award by the Gleitsman Foundation, 2003^[28]

• The United Nations Development Programme Mahbub ul Haq Award, 2004^[29]

• The Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership, 2007 [5]

• The inaugural Clinton Global Citizen Award, 2007 [6]

• The David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award, 2008

• Knighted by Queen Elizabeth, 2010 [7]

• WISE Prize, 2011 [8]

• Open Society Prize, 2013 [9]