News (830)
International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Development
23 March 2011, Dhaka. Entrepreneurship lies at the heart of the development process. Micro-enterprises are now recognised as key means of generating employment and increasing productivity amongst the poorest segments of the society. In view of this perspective BRAC, IGC(International Growth Centre of London School of Economics), and iiG(Improving Institutions for Pro-poor Growth of Oxford University) are going to organise a two-day International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Development: Experience, Practices and Policies on 27-28 March 2011 at BRAC Centre Inn in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The conference will focus on evaluations of current programmes designed to promote entrepreneurship in order to transform the economic lives of the poor. Central to this discussion will be an evaluation of the BRAC ultra poor programme that aims to transfer assets and business skills to the very poor. This programme is being implemented on a wide scale in Bangladesh and its being replicated in a growing number of developing countries. Recent results suggest that it has the potential to become a major tool in the global fight against poverty. The ultra poor model will be discussed in-depth, providing specific insights for policymakers looking replicate its success in other countries. Other presentations will provide new ideas on how constraints on entrepreneurship at the micro-enterprise level can be relaxed, particularly in the areas of training and access to credit.
The conference will also focus on policies to promote entrepreneurship and productivity improvements in larger firms. Presentations will discuss frontier knowledge on how state-level policies, firm capabilities, and trade interact to promote industrial development. There will be a particular focus on how trade policies can engender industrial development and on how the capabilities of firms to innovate and become more productive can be enhanced.
The outcome of the conference will be particularly relevant for developing countries targeting manufacturing and service sector expansion as a means of promoting economic growth, and there will be ample space dedicated to promoting dialogue and exchange of ideas.
Engaging the youth: Addressing extreme poverty
22 March 2011, Dhaka. BRAC Advocacy Unit organised the ‘Inter University Debate Competition 2011’ on extreme poverty with the slogan ‘Juktir Aloke Khuji Daridro Bimochoner Poth.’ It was held from March 16 to March 20, 2011 at Shaheed Nurul Amin Khan (Memorial) Multipurpose Hall, BIAM Foundation, New Eskaton, Dhaka.
Our Advocacy Unit seeks to mobilise and raise awareness among youth towards the issue of extreme poverty. We organise quizzes, seminar and debates from grassroots to national level to address the issue. We have already reached 2.17 million school and college students. Now we have taken a step forward in engaging the university students. As future decision makers it is important for them to be aware of the ultra poor regions of the country.
The topic of the final debate was “Proper allocation of budget is the best means of alleviating poverty.” United international University (UIU) won the competition and Jagannath University was adjudged runners-up beating 14 other renowned universities of the country. Md. Riad Hossain from UIU was adjudged Best Speaker.
Dr. AAMS Arefin Siddique, Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University inaugurated the opening ceremony on March 16, 2011. M. Hafizuddin Khan, Chairman of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) and Former Advisor of Caretaker Government of Bangladesh were present as the Chief Guest. Muhammad A. (Rumee) Ali, Managing Director, Enterprises & Investments, BRAC graced the closing ceremony as the Chair. Dr. Asif Nazrul, Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka, and Sk. Mojibul Huq, Manager of BRAC Advocacy Unit was present as the special guests in the occasion.
The members of Youth Forum for Poverty Alleviation & Development (YFPAD)’ immensely helped us in organising and making the event a success. We strongly believe that engaging the youth in such national issues will bring about positive changes in the future.
Praying for Japan
19 March 2011, Dhaka. As you all know by now, Japan was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded, on Friday, 11th March, 2011. It also triggered a massive 23 foot (7 meter) ferocious tsunami killing thousands of people, as it swept away boats, houses, and cars, while widespread fires burnt out of control. The earthquake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks so far, many of them more than magnitude 6.0, and reaching up to Hawaii and other US west-coast areas. 
Photo Copyright © Kyodo/Reuters
We join the Japanese in prayer and in sympathy at the losses suffered by its people.
Microcredit Summit lauds BRAC
16 March 2011, Dhaka. BRAC in Bangladesh received a certificate of appreciation from Microcredit Summit Campaign (a project of RESULTS Educational Fund). The certificate was presented in appreciation of BRAC’s commitment to the Summit’s goals.
The Microcredit Summit Campaign launched the State of the Microcredit Summit Campaign Report 2011 on March 7, 2011 in Washington, D.C. According to the report, more than 128 million of the world’s poorest families received a microloan in 2009- an all time high. The certificate is a validation of BRAC’s role in this achievement.
BRAC is an active member of the Microcredit Summit Campaign.
BRAC celebrates International Women’s Day with Storytelling Platform Launch
8 March 2011. On the occasion of the centenary of International Women’s Day on March 8th, BRAC – the largest non-profit in the developing world – joins the global celebration with the launch of Courage in the Heart, an online platform highlighting the stories of amazing women who experienced transformational change. BRAC will also participate in Join me at the Bridge, a collaboration of Women for Women International and Google to celebrate women’s achievements.
In honor of International Women’s Day, Google selected BRAC to be highlighted for its impactful work on behalf of women from a list of thousands of organizations. “I think Google picked BRAC because of our track record in touching the lives of some 138 million women and their families. By helping girls to get educated, we help them realize their dreams. When girls fly, the whole world soars.,” says Susan Davis, President & CEO of BRAC USA.
Courage in the Heart (http://www.brac.net/courageintheheart) – also slated to launch on March 8th – is an online storytelling platform that features the stories of women in rural Bangladesh who are changing the fabric of society by shifting the consensus about the role of women. Courage in the Heart creators Annie Escobar and Patricia Schneidewind traveled to Bangladesh in 2010 to profile the lives of women who have transformed their lives through BRAC’s pioneering programs.
On the launch, Escobar says:
“Courage in the Heart is meant to build solidarity in the fight for women’s empowerment. We hope to create ‘BRAC ambassadors’ by connecting people in the United States to BRAC’s work and further its effort to empower people in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice.”
This platform shares the accounts of women like Rupa, a young woman in Bangladesh, who after being widowed at fifteen changed her life by becoming a community advocate through BRAC’s Human Rights and Legal Services program. Rupa says of her transformation: "before, I was not aware of the legal system, but now I teach a lot of people about the law."
One additional story will be released each week for six weeks following the launch of Courage in the Heart.
To raise awareness of International Women’s Day, Google has launched a marketing campaign intended to drive awareness of women’s achievements by highlighting incredible women organizations that work in the field of economic security, education, empowerment, equality and leadership, health, and safety and the security of women. BRAC was selected to be highlighted from hundreds of organizations for its impactful work educating women.
About BRAC:
BRAC is a global development organization dedicated to alleviating poverty by empowering the poor to bring about change in their own lives. BRAC’s holistic approach aims to achieve large scale, positive changes through economic and social programs that enable women and men to realize their potential. BRAC was launched in Bangladesh in 1972 and today reaches more than 138 million people in Africa and Asia through its programs that address poverty by providing micro-loans, self-employment opportunities, health services, education and legal and human rights services.
Statement from BRAC on the recent controversy about Grameen Bank
07 March 2011, Dhaka. On behalf of BRAC, I am expressing my concern at the recent development concerning Grameen Bank. Grameen Bank is an extremely important institution serving almost 8.3 million of Bangladesh’s most underserved population. The welfare of these borrowers and the continuous progress of the institution must be given the highest priority for any decision affecting the organization.
The role of microfinance in ensuring financial inclusion and improving people's lives are well documented. MFI organizations like Grameen Bank, BRAC and various local MFIs that are supported by PKSF have played a very important role in Bangladesh in ensuring this access to finance and enterprise development. BRAC has also played its role by providing additional service support in various other areas such as health, education and agricultural support services through a multi-pronged approach towards tackling poverty.
We must understand that microfinance institutions like Grameen Bank are different from traditional organizations. A big capital of such organizations is the intrinsic community level trust that they have earned. This trust element must not be underestimated. If this trust is lost, then there may be delinquencies, intentional refusal to repay loans or large scale withdrawal of savings by the members -- in effect potentially bringing the organization’s future in jeopardy.
A sudden exit of the founder and the managing director of Grameen Bank and a legal battle between the board and the government may potentially cause a loss of confidence among its borrowers putting the organization’s future in doubt. For the sake of the millions of its members, we must take utmost care in not letting this happen. A carefully planned succession for Dr. Yunus can help a smooth transition and give the organization the stability that it needs to ensure the welfare of its members.
We hope that for any steps concerning Dr. Yunus or Grameen Bank due process will be followed -- keeping in mind the integrity of the institution concerned and also how lack of due process may affect the reputation of our country globally.
We must remember that development organizations play a complimentary and supportive role to the Government in national development. Recent dramatic decline on maternal mortality rate is a great example where such complimentary work can prove tremendously beneficial for the entire country and in effect globally improving the image of the country. Government and the NGOs must continue to work together to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for which our Prime Minister recently got acclaimed internationally.
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed,
Chairperson,
BRAC
BRAC chairperson recognised in the first ever “Women Deliver 100” list
07 March 2011, Dhaka. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, Women Deliver, a global advocacy organisation, announced the “Women Deliver 100” - their list of the hundred most inspiring people who have delivered for girls and women. This list recognises women and men, both prominent and lesser known, who have committed themselves to improving the lives of girls and women around the world.
BRAC founder and chairperson Fazle Hasan Abed is one of the honourees in the list for lifting millions out of poverty throughout Asia and Africa- –particularly women. Abed recognised early on that empowering girls and women is central to alleviating poverty, and women have always provided the backbone of BRAC’s organisation – 98 percent of the borrowers in our microfinance programmes and more than 95 percent of our volunteers are women.
The honourees derive from the fields of health, human rights, politics, economics, education, journalism, and philanthropy, and represent a great diversity of geographic and cultural backgrounds. The 100 honourees were selected from among hundreds of potentials and feature some of the most intrepid, committed, and results-driven people in the world.
For more details visit http://www.womendeliver.org/
Photo Credit: www.womendeliver.org
BRAC to work with UNDP to improve Gender Parity
02 March 2011, Dhaka. BRAC Community Empowerment and Strengthening Local Institutions Programme (CESLI) has been awarded a contract from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement a project titled “Joint Programme on Gender Based Violence”. The project aims to improve the overall gender based violence situation, particularly violence against women, through a comprehensive set of activities involving awareness raising and capacity building, developing networks and partnerships, policy advocacy, survivor support and establishing a database on violence against women. This is a 2 year project to be implemented in 6 districts of Bangladesh (Feni, Habiganj, Narshingdi, Sirajganj, Satkhira, Barguna) covering 41 upazilas and 388 union parishads.
Key activities of the project include -
- Capacity strengthening and sensitization of 5,000 officials and members from local administration, union parishads and upazilla levels to support, advise and guide the poor and vulnerable women against violence
- Capacity strengthening and sensitization of nearly 25,000 rural poor women and nearly 5,000 members of different forums created by UNDP and the government of Bangladesh to speak out against all kinds of violence and violation of human rights
- Activating and capacitating the District Legal Aid Committee (DLAC) and relevant standing committees of union parishad
- Establishing a credible, district level database on violence against women and build capacity of the local administration to maintain this database
- Advocacy and advisory support on violence against women issues at local, regional and national Levels
- Social and economic rehabilitation and reintegration of violence survivors
- Supporting in establishing network with existing union parishad standing committee, Women Development Forum, local human rights organisations, Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum’s district and central committees in creating stronger local platforms against gender based violence.
The “Joint Programme on Gender Based Violence" will be implemented within the ambit of two existing UNDP projects, BRAC and Bangladesh government’s Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (MLGRD&C). Besides these strategic partners, the intervention will embrace other human rights support organisations operational in the project area.
BRAC facilitates youth discussion session on ultra poor
01 March 2011, Dhaka. ‘Going to the Radisson or Westin for dinner was quite common for me. But now, after visiting the ultra poor areas and seeing those hunger stricken faces, I began to feel a sense of guilt. I am now aware that the cost of one meal at these hotels can buy food for the ultra poor for one whole month. I now feel strongly that I should do something for them’, says Asir Faisal Dipro, student of Udayan High School who went to visit BRAC’s field activities for the ultra poor. Such realisations were reoccurring during the experience sharing in the discussion session on ‘Ultra Poverty Reduction: Views of Future Leaders’.
To create a platform for these young minds to voice their concerns for the ultra poor, a discussion session titled ‘Ultra Poverty Reduction: Views of Future Leaders’ was organised by our Advocacy Unit at the Auditorium of BRAC Centre on February 28, 2011. The event helped bring forth the views of the future leaders in front of a versatile audience.
Mahabub Hosssain, Executive Director, BRAC chaired the session and Sheepa Hafiza, Director, Gender Justice & Diversity and Advocacy moderated the event. The session was divided into two parts. The students along with the Youth Forum who went to the field visit took the floor in the first part to share their experience and views. Students from Dhaka College, Dhaka Commerce Collage, Udayan High School, The New School Dhaka and Dhaka Cantonment Girls Public School & College participated in the session. Galib Ibn Anwarul Azim represented the Youth Forum, a student of Economics Department, University of Dhaka. The theme of the second part was an open floor discussion with active participation of teachers from the respective schools and colleges, BRAC professionals, representatives from development partners, and civil society.
The event was a part of the national level campaign on Advocacy for Ultra Poverty Reduction. Our Advocacy Unit organised several debate competitions at different urban schools and colleges throughout 2010, in order to mobilise urban students who are rarely exposed to the extreme poverty of Bangladesh. They were followed by field visits to BRAC’s Ultra Poor programme areas of Rajshahi and Pabna District.
Dr. Afsana receives "Woman of Distinction Award 2011"
01 March 2011, Dhaka. Dr. Kaosar Afsana, Associate Director of BRAC Health Programme, has received the " Woman of Distinction Award 2011" from the NGO Committee of the Status of Women, New York in recognition of her leadership in developing countries for empowering women through education, training, science and technology. This event took place in New York on February 22, 2011. Dr. Afsana was invited as a guest speaker to deliver a speech on using mobile technology for empowering women on February 21, 2011 on Consultation Day at the NGO CSW, New York.
Dr. Afsana speaking on Consultation Day at the NGO CSW, New York
Dr. Afsana has been working at BRAC for over 18 years. She is an MD with MPH from Harvard and PhD from Edith Cowan University, Australia.
Currently, she is heading two significant projects of BRAC on maternal, newborn and child health in urban slums and rural districts of Bangladesh and involved in many different activities with BRAC including strategic directions, policy-making and programmatic decisions.
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