Pakistan : Partnership

Joining hands for the same cause can result in bigger achievements for all parties involved. Collaborations are a key to expanding access and impact in the development sector, as all organisations are working for similar goals of empowerment and poverty alleviation. BRAC in Pakistan has also entered into several beneficial collaborations and partnerships since its inception. At its inception, in 2007, BRAC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Pakistan and Ministry of Economic Affairs for working in Pakistan in the field of microfinance, health and education.

BRAC is a partner organisation of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF). PPAF has collaborated with BRAC for its microfinance and targeting ultra-poor programmes and is one of its major donors. Recently, PPAF is also considering further collaborations with BRAC in other areas such as capacity building and social development, which are all in process.

For microfinance, BRAC is a member of the Pakistan Micro Finance Network (PMN), Pakistan’s largest microfinance institution. Being part of PMN has enabled BRAC to network with other microfinance institutions in the country; opening horizons for knowledge-sharing and learning from experiences.

BRAC has recently signed a MoU with the Government of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) for BRAC’s education programme. The Government of Pakistan supports the BRAC Education Programme by providing the necessary curricula for the students and inducting the students into the government primary schools after completion of their pre-primary schooling from BRAC pre-primary schools. Further support for the education programme is under way with Government of Sindh, to start schools in various districts such as Sukkur.

The BRAC Health Programme is undergoing negotiations with the National Tuberculosis Programme for a MoU for a TB programme in NWFP and Punjab provinces, in Nowshera and Sahiwal Districts specifically. Negotiations are also underway with the National Nursing Council to facilitate the training of BRAC’s Community Health Volunteers in birth attendance. Negotiations with the Government of Pakistan to give assistance in running the programme and to develop it further are also underway. Partnerships with various other NGOs are also being discussed.

BRAC Pakistan is also negotiating further partnerships and collaborations for other projects such as agriculture, social development and water, sanitation and hygiene. Various governmental organisations and NGOs are interested to work with BRAC; a role model for all organisations worldwide.