Prosperty
BRAC is about persistence, optimism, enterprise and values- the very things that can bring lasting impact for the world’s poorest.
We have distrubuted 22 million metric tons of high yield seeds to the farmers till 2014.
4.8 million people got access to microfinace loan in 2014.
Here are two stories we would like to share about Prosperity
Daw Khin Aye Mu
“When the programme organiser from BRAC asked us about how we can improve the lives of the people of our locality, it made us think in a way we have never done before.”
Daw Khin Aye Mu lives with her three daughters and a son in Bago, Myanmar. She has a home-based bakery business. Assisted by her oldest daughter, she bakes cakes and bread. She would earn about USD 4 (Kyats 4,000) per day. She struggled raising her children. “Before BRAC started its work in my community, there were no other microfinance providers. I heard about BRAC’s microfinance programme from a neighbour.” Daw Khin joined the microfinance group in her area following several discussions with the programme organiser. She began to attend the village organisation meetings.
Daw Khin took her first loan of USD 250 (Kyats 250,000) in 2014. She bought ingredients and other material for her bakery. “I never had an idea about savings. When the programme organiser explained the importance of savings, I knew I had to be better prepared for my family’s future. The income from my bakery business now helps me live a better life.”
Daw Khin is the president of her village organisation, the association of women BRAC forms to mobilise communities in various ways. She says, “It is an important responsibility and I work hard to maintain discipline. I feel proud about my work.”
Reshma Khatun
Reshma Khatun lives in Bagerhat in southern Bangladesh. Her husband, a poor farmer could only earn enough for them to get by. Their only valuable possession was a small gher (pond-like structure used for fish cultivation) where they farmed shrimp.
Reshma Khatun was selected for training from BRAC’s agriculture and food security programme. Upon receiving technical and financial support, she joined her husband in farming more varieties of fish. “I began farming different types of local carp. I used the first grant for land preparation, stocking young fish, fertiliser and fish feed.”
The couple’s earning rose when they began to sell the cultivated fish in bulk at the village market. Also trained on advanced farming techniques, Reshma and her husband took the next leap- farming rice, vegetables and sunflower. In Reshma’s words, “This allowed me to earn more money as I was using the space I had more efficiently. My relatives and neighbours say they are inspired by my success. With the training I received from BRAC, I was able to take control and secure a better life for my family.”
