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Institutional capacity building
- The programme offers a six-day Training of Instructors (TOI) course. Till date, the training has been given to BRAC's 770 field workers. The graduates now conduct road safety trainings for field staff who ride motorcycles for day-to-day work.
- The programme piloted a short training course styled “Driving Plus” in February 2002, based on the needs of drivers, passengers and supervisors of BRAC’s transport department. This training was conducted for several years. One result was that all the staff who made use of BRAC vehicles were made aware not to put pressure on the driver to drive faster.
- BRAC Driving School gives all drivers of BRAC's transport department a bi-annual three-day residential refresher training on road safety and defensive driving.
- The programme also offers bicycle-riding training to female supervisors of BRAC pre-primary schools and libraries since 2003. Till date, 1,562 supervisors have received this training.
- BRAC’s road safety programme has included lessons on road safety education in the textbooks of BRAC non-formal primary education schools.
- In its action research project in Betilla of 2004, the road safety programme raised awareness of the members of 200 local BRAC village organisations on road safety. During this project, 100 parents of BRAC's non-formal schools were engaged in a discussion on road safety issues at the monthly parent meeting.
- Under the 'human resource policies and procedures', the programme has formulated twelve road safety related rules for staff motorcycle drivers and drivers of BRAC's transport department.
- Under the influence of the road safety programme, BRAC drivers maintain a speed limit of 60 km/h or 70 km/h (contingent upon situation) while driving on the national highway.
- The programme has raised the road safety awareness of staff with flyers and email.
Community road safety projects
In our past projects, over 183,000 unique individuals have received face-to-face road safety messages or road safety training. In total, over 363,000 people have received road safety messages as a result of our past interventions. We have organised 53 community road safety groups and trained 52 grassroot organisations.
Here are some of the community road safety awareness campaigns undertaken by the road safety programme.
2005: Campaign on Dhaka-Sylhet highway with Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Ministry of Communication and World Bank
The project resulted in at least 120,000 unique individuals receiving face-to-face messages and training on road safety. These include 105,000 students – taught by their teachers, 2,019 commercial motor vehicle drivers and 12,500 rickshaw pullers (who received reflective stickers). Additionally, 26,625 people saw road safety theatre shows, 1,700 people multimedia shows, and 14,625 houses and shops were reached via door-to-door camapign for road safety sensitisation. At the end of the intervention, the majority of the population living in the project areas, numbering at least 540,000, had received some of the road safety messages. In an impact assessment with non-representative sample size, which did not include commercial motor vehicle drivers and rickshaw pullers, the majority had knowledge on some of the road safety messages of the project. Another impact assessment with non-representative sample size suggested that the road safety knowledge of commercial motor vehicle drivers improved significantly.
Furthermore, 39 community road safety groups were organised and trained, and leaders of 24 grass root organisations were trained and linked to road safety institutions. The community road safety groups planned and executed a host of actions, including arranging the provision of road safety engineering facilities. 
2006: Campaign for road safety education for school students in Khulna and Barisal with Local Government Engineering Department with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD)
The project resulted in 35,000 school students being sensitised about road safety (by their trained teachers) at their educational institutions. A non-scientific impact assessment indicated that the students showed a major improvement in their road safety knowledge. They were also encouraged to spread the road safety knowledge to people they knew. Besides, 20 local NGO's and community based organisations (CBO's) were trained on road safety.
2007: Campaign on road safety awareness with RHD and DANIDA to promote institution building and capacity development of roadside communities along the highway to Kuakata
At least 25,000 unique individuals received face-to-face road safety messages or road safety training, and a significant portion of them got road safety instructions more than once during the project. Awareness activities were: training 96 teachers directly (and 551 teachers and 9000 students indirectly), training 500 commercial motor vehicle drivers, training 7,488 rickshaw pullers, staging theatre shows to a total audience of 17,650, giving multimedia shows to a total audience of 23,785, and giving road safety messages to 6,600 shops and 7,200 households (twice each) by going door-to-door. Almost all of the population living in the project area (numbering 50,000) received road safety messages.
Furthermore, eight NGO's (two executives or coordinators from each) and members of eight community road safety groups were trained on road safety. The workshop held with community road safety groups catalysed further actions for improving road safety.
2011: Marking the launch of United Nations Decade of Actions for Road Safety
With a mission to improve road safety in Bangladesh, BRAC organised events marking the launching of the United Nations Decade of Actions for Road Safety 2011-2020 on May 11, 2011. Reflective stickers which enhance visibility at night of non-motorised vehicles were pasted on rickshaws to mark the start of the decade. Marking the start of the UN Decade, BRAC called for united efforts through major national dailies and spread awareness online.
2014: Road safety awareness project with Chevron Bangladesh for communities living near its Bibiyana gas field
In the first phase of the project, 5,240 unique individuals have received face-to-face messages on road safety. We have trained 25 head teachers, 157 teachers, 232 bus and truck drivers, 314 rickshaw pullers and 12 rickshaw van pullers. The teachers have in turn taught 4,500 of their students, who have also participated in a road safety quiz competition. Furthermore, six community road safety groups have been formed, trained and guided in their road safety action planning and execution. A scientific impact assessment is going to be carried out by BRAC’s research and evaluation division upon completion of the project. 
2015: Road safety awareness programme in Cox's Bazar and Gazipur districts
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and BRAC Road Safety Programme signed an agreement to pilot a two-year road safety awareness programme. It is piloted in four upazillas of Cox's Bazar and Gazipur. This endeavour is a component of LGED's Second Rural Transport Improvement Project (RTIP-II), which is funded by the World Bank. The programme targets community residents comprising of students, teachers, street-side vendors, shopkeepers and drivers of non-motorised and motorised vehicles. Besides community engagement, it is designed to expand their understanding of road safety and help identify road safety problems in their communities so they can formulate solutions for tackling them.
In phase one of this project, at least 55,000 unique individuals received face-to-face road safety messages and training. The expectation is that at least another 55,000 unique individuals will receive road safety messages because of students sharing their new knowledge with their family members, and of people watching any of the 216 large screen open-air video trainings. We are going to scientifically assess road safety knowledge of the 51,000 students who are taught by their school teachers, 2,200 commercial non-motor vehicle drivers and 1,200 commercial motor vehicle drivers after this phase.
There is also local capacity and ownership building. 30 community road safety groups, one in each of the campaign areas alongside roads are formed, trained and guided during and after their community road safety action planning workshop. 15 CBO leaders and 5 local LGED staff are trained to improve the road safety situation. Two upazilla road safety committees have been organised and activated.
Components of community road safety intervention
Some of the innovative components of BRAC’s road safety programme are:
Road safety animation film (for telecasting on television)
Children are easily attracted to the imaginative and entertaining aspects of animation. BRAC produced a road safety animation film programme titled Lal, Holud aar Shobuj (Red, yellow and green) to provide road safety education on television. A series of two animation films was produced that focuses on essential knowledge for using the road safely.
Community road safety groups
A community road safety group takes responsibility for their local road safety situation. Its ten to twelve members meet voluntarily on a bi-monthly basis to plan and implement relevant actions. They are local leaders who are not holding a post in a political organisation. Examples of group actions are: collecting money from the community to paint missing marks of a speed breaker, requesting local government engineering department to install a shed at particular local bus bay, and advocating vendors to stop encroaching the road with their stalls. They also give post-accident support to victims of road casualties by helping them get medical treatment immediately after the accident and receive financial compensation.
Training for NGOs and community based organisations (CBOs)
The objective of engaging local NGOs or CBOs is to develop their capacity on road safety so that they can use this knowledge to make their programme participants aware and to help the implementation of the project activities. They are selected, and given a week-long residential training on road safety management which includes road safety issues along with finding support and sponsorship from local philanthropists, private sector and potential donors. The leaders of the NGOs or CBOs meet monthly or quarterly to follow up on the training and to review the progress of the implementation of project activities. These NGOs or CBOs continued road safety activities after the completion of a project.
Road safety training of rickshaw pullers
The rickshaw is a three wheeler non-motorised vehicle, and a very common mode of transportation in Bangladesh. Pullers of these vehicles are mostly illiterate, untrained and unaware of traffic rules. The rickshaws have no lights, compromising its visibility during night. These rickshaw pullers are put through a participatory road safety training session lasting half a day followed by pasting of honeycomb reflective stickers on the backside of rickshaw.
Road safety training for commercial vehicle drivers
A three-day residential training is provided to in-service commercial bus and truck drivers at BRAC Driving School. The module aims at improving their attitude and behaviour towards responsible and safe driving through increasing their knowledge. There is a shorter version of the module lasting for a day, and it is held at bus terminals. Digitised and bar coded audio-visual training materials are used in the course.
Road safety theatre
To raise awareness through infotainment, theatre shows are staged in communities. The audience is involved to demonstrate the road safety messages delivered during the show and a discussion is held afterwards. The performance incorporates local customs, dialects, ethnicities, etc. based on the location. Usually, the majority of audience consists of women and children.
Awareness through multimedia shows
These are held at major growth centres and bazaars (and sometimes in schools for the students). The messages of these shows are about safe walking, crossing rules and to discourage street-side vendors from encroaching the road. The shows make use of a training video followed by discussion. These are shown in the evening so that anyone can watch.
Road safety education at schools
Teaching about road safety to children can reap lifelong benefits to society. The headmasters of selected educational institutions (within 500 meters of a road within project area) are given a day-long training on road safety to motivate them to provide road safety education in their institutions. Headmasters nominate two teachers from their individual institutions for a two-day road safety training, which is facilitated by BRAC's road safety trainers. The training module includes amongst other things - safe walking and crossing rules, first aid, informing police of accidents and the claiming procedure of insurance compensation. These teachers in turn teach all the students of their educational institutions on road safety using flipcharts provided by BRAC’s road safety programme.
Road safety posters are installed in classrooms, and practical demonstration classes on safe crossing and walking are organised at schools. Students are encouraged to share their gained new knowledge with the parents, neighbours and relatives. A quiz competition is held at each educational institution to stimulate the learning of the students and to test their gained knowledge. The students receive quiz booklets that they can use to prepare themselves.
Door-to-door campaign
This activity is useful to reach those who do not attend the other road safety interventions of the project. Each household and shop in the campaign area are visited by project staff. They hold discussions in an open area in between houses with multiple households at a time. They use training posters to discuss and demonstrate three major road safety messages, like safe walking and crossing roads and the impact of road encroachment. These meetings are held on the preferred times of the people and attended mostly by women and children. After the discussion, the project staff hangs three posters on a prominent place of the house or shop.
Billboards
These are installed on important spots beside the highway to remind the road users, particularly the drivers to think about road safety and obey the rules. This is a relatively cheap way to disseminate safety messages.
Student traffic cadets (STC)
Financially needy and bright students, especially scouts and girl guides are selected for this intervention. The selected STCs are put through a two-day long training on road safety. They extend road safety in the community as volunteers. They act as road safety role model of their own institutions and community; help old, children and disabled to cross road; motivate people for safe walking, crossing, proper use of bus stop/bay and footpath/roadside etc. They are provided with yellow jackets and caps to wear while performing their duty so that people can identify them easily and see them from faraway. Their work hours are chosen in consultation with them and their teachers. They are given monthly stipend.
Supporting Upazilla Road Safety Committee (URSC)
In most upazillas (sub-districts), such a committee has either not been formed, or has not been active, despite an order by the government. CRSG members, project staff and CBO/NGO leaders approach the Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (local government representative of highest rank who is supposed to head the URSC), and persuade him/her to form the committee and call for meeting. Efforts are made to make someone member of the committee who is from the CRSGs or NGOs/CBOs, in order to help the URSC be active and sustainable. The URSCs are also given support to organise workshops to produce a road safety action plan for their own upazilla
BRAC responds to Cyclone Roanu in Bangladesh
Photo credit: Kiron/Focus Bangla News
On May 21, 2016, a cyclone devastated the low-lying coastal regions of Bangladesh. BRAC is playing a leading role in providing relief, particularly in hard to reach areas, through its extensive reach in the south.
Cyclone Roanu hit the coast of Bangladesh at 11:00am on 21 May 2016. Winds reached speeds of 102 kilometres per hour and caused massive damage to houses, businesses and agricultural lands. Heavy rainfall inundated the southern coastal regions of the country and caused severe landslides. An estimated 50,000 houses were partially damaged and more than 24,000 properties were destroyed.
Roanu was half the strength of 2007’s Cyclone Sidr, which killed 3,447 people and caused millions of dollars in damage. A coordinated community response led by authorities and supported by BRAC and other agencies helped 500,000 people relocate to cyclone shelters the day before the cyclone hit. To date, 24 deaths have been recorded.
The cyclone forced the cancellation of the national Higher Secondary Certificate examinations. BRAC is providing water, food supplies and cash transfers to families who have been affected by the cyclone, as well as distributing special cash grants to exam candidates. A total of BDT 2 million has been allocated for relief efforts, focusing on specific areas that have not received immediate supplies.
The organisation’s priorities are to support the continuation of education and establish child-friendly spaces to ensure that children are busy with activities while out of school.
“Disaster responses traditionally focus on the immediate needs of survivors,” said Dr Muhammad Musa, executive director of BRAC. “Children and young people are often forgotten and become the most vulnerable group. We are focusing on meeting basic needs, while also ensuring that children are kept safe and can continue learning.”
In addition to providing relief, BRAC is participating in the government-initiated joint needs assessment for loss and damage. This is the first time that a Bangladesh-based non-governmental organisation has participated in this assessment.
BRAC is leading the first phase of the assessment in Patuakhali and co-leading the assessment in Cox’s Bazar, which were two of the most affected districts. Cyclone Roanu affected multiple districts including Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Chandpur, Naokhali, Feni, Laxmipur, Bagerhaat, Khulna, Barisal, Potuakhali, Pirojpur, Bhola, Borguna and Jalokathi – all areas where BRAC has programmes.
Shurakkha - defensive driving training
Surakkha is a road safety and defensive driving training for in-service drivers. The training is especially designed for in-service commercial bus and truck drivers, as the majority have not been through institutional driving training. It is common in Bangladesh where such drivers receive their training through apprenticeship from another experienced but untrained driver. As a result, many of these drivers, although performing at professional capacity, are unaware of the many road safety rules and practices.
Good professional drivers know the traffic signs and traffic rules. They have a sense of responsibility for the safety of other road users – knowing that traffic casualties are avoidable. The training helps drivers improve their attitude and behaviour on the road. It also develops their theoretical knowledge on driving while helping them to drive more defensively. The training is ideally given to groups of 20 to 25 trainees, with a maximum of 25 trainees per group.
BRAC Driving School is now conducting the following types of Surakkha courses:
• Two days of theoretical training and one day of driving testing and grading for corporate body drivers
• Three days of theoretical training for bus and truck drivers
• Two days of road safety training for motorcycle drivers
Some comments on the training by former trainees:
“After receiving this training my eyes have been opened. All these years I have been driving with a wrong attitude. Although I have been driving with patience, yet after receiving this training I am realising that I did not know lots of things about safe driving. If we follow what we have been taught here, then I am sure that we will never encounter any more road crashes. [...] I am highly grateful and it is a pleasure for me to attend this training.” – Mr. Foridul Islam Rahim, in service for previous 21 years, and four years for ENA transport (at the time)
“I have been driving for a long time; by Gods grace I have never had any road crash and I am a trained driver. After hearing that BRAC is giving a new training I got interested and hence attended the Surakkha training. We always drive to keep out of accidents, but after coming here I have learned that safety of ourselves, that is Surakkha, is very important. We always make simple mistakes while driving; minute mistakes can lead to a disastrous crash. This training has actually showed us where we were wrong throughout our entire lives as drivers. My attitude towards safety of myself, passengers and the wealth of my transport owner has completely changed. Now I will drive maintaining the rules of safe driving till the last trip of my life before I retire.’’ - Mr. Zaman, a driver of Shamoly transport service
BRAC Manthan Digital Innovation Award 2016
In the last decade, innovators, entrepreneurs and change makers in Bangladesh have developed outstanding innovations using ICT and digital tools. Ideas like bKash, Chaldal, JAAGO Online School and more recently, Maya Apa prove how technology, when used the right way, can create the most meaningful impact. However, many of these wonderful initiatives are hardly known outside of Bangladesh. Now this is about to change.
A joint collaboration between BRAC and Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) based in India, has launched the Bangladeshi chapter of Manthan Award, the most prestigious award in the field of ICT and digital innovation in the Asia Pacific, as ‘BRAC Manthan Digital Innovation Award’, with a vision to recognise our local talent in an international platform. The winners of BRAC Manthan Digital Innovation Award will find a direct entry to Manthan Award, Asia, allowing them the space to perform against international competitors.
The BRAC Manthan Digital Innovation Award will accept registrations under nine categories. The categories are: e-business and financial inclusion, e-education, learning and employment, e-agriculture and ecology, e-governance and institutions, e-health, e-women, inclusion and empowerment, e-news, journalism and entertainment, e-culture, heritage and tourism, and m-content.The registration will close on 10 June 2016. Those using ICT and other digital tools in their businesses, projects or social work with visible impact are eligible to register here: http://brac.manthanaward.org/.
Southern NGO BRAC and its global initiatives: an inside look
The largest NGO in the world, BRAC headquartered in Bangladesh, applies its development aid concepts outside Bangladesh in ten countries around the world. The silver bullet? Building on the strength of each individual. An interview with Petra Costerman Boodt, BRAC International's Resident Representative Fundraiser in The Netherlands, on aid, on 'giving', and the international opportunities for BRAC. Read more
BRAC USA welcomes new President and CEO
BRAC USA, the U.S. affiliate of BRAC, a global leader in creating opportunity for the world’s poor and the world’s largest nongovernmental development organisation, today announced the appointment of Donella Rapier as its new President & CEO. Donella will succeed BRAC USA founding President, Susan Davis, who completed ten years of outstanding service in December 2015.
BRAC is a development success story, spreading anti-poverty solutions born in Bangladesh to 11 other developing countries in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. Donella will bring over 30 years of extensive finance, fundraising and non-profit management experience to its U.S. operations.
For the past four and a half years, Donella served as the Chief Development and Administrative Officer at Accion, a pioneer and global leader in microfinance and financial inclusion whose work spans nearly two dozen countries. Prior to that, she was the Chief Financial Officer at Partners In Health, a global healthcare organisation working in remote places where healthcare alternatives are limited or otherwise nonexistent, such as Haiti, Rwanda and Malawi. Earlier in her career, Donella spent more than a decade in senior leadership roles at Harvard University, including Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development and Chief Financial Officer for Harvard Business School. Donella received her MBA from Harvard Business School and began her career at Price Waterhouse.
“BRAC USA is enormously fortunate to have someone with Donella’s range of skills and depth of experience as the new leader for our organisation,” said Lincoln Chen, Chair of the Board for BRAC USA. “She is a skilled builder of organisations and is deeply committed to empowering people and communities in situations of poverty.” Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the Founder & Chairperson of BRAC Bangladesh, applauded the appointment: “Donella is a great addition to the BRAC family, bringing talent, expertise, and commitment to our work of ending poverty.”
“I am truly honored to be joining the remarkable BRAC family of organisations,” said Donella Rapier. “BRAC has made an enormous difference in the world and, by many measures, is one of the most successful organisations driving social change. I am eager to dive in and build on the excellent foundation laid by a decade of pioneering work to further BRAC’s reach and potential for even greater impact.”
Donella will join BRAC USA full time in July 2016.
How to Empower the Next Generation of Girls? With Girls.
When Sa’a jumped from the moving truck, she wasn’t thinking about her education that had just been cut short. She was fleeing for her life.
One of the more than 250 girls kidnapped from their school in Chibok, Nigeria, two years ago, Sa’a recounted that heartbreaking story to members of Congress recently, renewing calls to rescue the hundreds of still missing schoolgirls and finally #bringbackourgirls.
Sa’a is now a college student in the U.S. Her story is a reminder of what is possible when girls are given the chance to receive a quality education in a safe place. Her story also illustrates what we stand to lose when a girl’s education is taken away. Read More.
World leaders send their best wishes to Sir Fazle on his 80th birthday
3 May 2016, Dhaka
In celebration of BRAC’s founder and chairperson Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s 80th birthday, messages have been flooding in from all across the world to wish him a happy birthday. Global leaders such as Gordon Brown, the former prime minister of the UK, Desmond Swayne, Minister of State for International Development (DFID), UK, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister of International Development and the Pacific, Australia, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the President of Liberia, are among the few that have been extending their best wishes.
In a message, Bill Clinton, former president of the United States, says, ‘You’ve helped millions of people in Bangladesh and beyond to escape poverty through the dignity of their own work. In doing so, you’ve revolutionised the way we all think about development. Luckily for all of us, you show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.”
Bill Gates, co-chair and trustee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, ‘We’ve had a great partnership with BRAC for more than a decade, and it’s made a huge difference. Through BRAC, you have changed the course of history for millions globally. For your vision and commitment to creating a better world, we salute you.”
“Abed bhai, happy birthday,” said Jim Kim, President of the World Bank. Having met Sir Fazle more than a decade ago, he says, ‘The scale and impact of what he’s done, and yet the utter humility with which he’s done everything, I think is a lesson for every single one of us who are working in development. For Abed bhai, everything has always been about making sure that women are empowered; making sure that children have education, even through informal systems.’
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