What We Do : Microfinance

Microfinance provides the platform for all of BRAC’s development work. It uses a participatory, peer supported and multisectoral strategy to offer poor rural women the opportunity to achieve sustainable improvement in their livelihoods, and attain dignity and self-reliance.

BRAC’s microfinance programme has cumulatively disbursed over USD 5 billion and serves over 6 million poor and landless people. Ninety-eight percent of BRAC’s microfinance members are women, and these members belong to  170,000 Village Organisations (VOs) that BRAC has created to serve as a forum where the poor can collectively address the structural impediments to their development, receive credit, mobilise savings and build upon their social capital.

We currently have microfinance programmes in the following countries:

• Bangladesh
• Afghanistan
• Liberia
• Pakistan
• Sierra Leone
• Sri Lanka
• Southern Sudan
• Tanzania
• Uganda