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Learn more about the Microfinance Top Performing Nonprofits:

Microfinance: BRAC

Mission: BRAC works with people whose lives are dominated by extreme poverty, illiteracy, disease and other disadvantages. With a holistic approach, they strive to bring about positive changes in the quality of life of people who are poor.

BASIC INFORMATION	EXPERT ASSESSMENT	BENEFICIARY REVIEW

Basic Information
Social Cause: Microfinance
Issue Area: Microfinance
Location: Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Southern Sudan, Liberia, Sierra Leone, UK, USA
Year Founded: 1972
Problem

When a person is poor, they are poor for a number of reasons which compound the disadvantages they face. They lack access to markets and decent supplies, credit, savings and insurance, safe water and sanitation, and a quality education for their children.
Solution

BRAC takes a holistic approach to poverty alleviation. For example, they work in the fields of education, health, human rights and legal services, social development, with an emphasis on economic development. In Bangladesh alone, BRAC reaches three quarters of the entire population through their 120,000 staff.

At the center of BRAC's approach are village organisations (VOs) -each with 30-40 women members which are set up to provide social support and microfinance services.

The VOs are also the recruiting ground for some of BRAC’s key community workers -such as the health volunteers, agricultural extension workers and paralegal volunteers -who enable BRAC to increase the outreach and impact of its programmes. For instance, BRAC’s 80,000 community health volunteers make home visits to 18 million village households every month and provide the first line of support in its essential health care programme. Every week, 1.55 million children attend BRAC’s primary and pre-primary schools and are taught by more than 50,000 trained teachers who are drawn from the communities they live in.
Impact

110 million: people reached with development interventions.

8.5 million: total number of borrowers (2008).

USD1.2 billion: of total loan disbursement (2008).

99.29%: repayment rate.

98%: borrowers are women.

120,000: people employed, making BRAC the largest southern NGO.

In 2008, BRAC Pakistan began full fledged operations, and also started activities in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Financial Breakdown

Expenses Breakdown

Program Expenses : $7,822,936
Administrative Expenses: $115,754
Fundraising Expenses: $35,007
Charity Navigator Profile
Contact Information

Website: http://www.brac.net
Email: public-affairs@brac.net
Phone: +8 802 988 1265

The contents of this page are primarily from this nonprofit organization's website. The views expressed on this page are those of this organization and not necessarily those of Philanthopedia.

SummaryLearn more about these experts>>

Microfinance experts believe that BRAC has proven that they can scale. They have a deep grassroots presence and have effective and innovative programs.

At the same time, experts believe that BRAC should expand geographically, offer even more services and improve their management.

Strengths

Good at Cost-Effective Scalability

"They have impressive growth in Africa. "
"They are a large organization in Bangladesh."
"They are amazingly good at scaling cost-effectively. "
"They are on the ground and cost effective. They have proven to be scalable. "
"They have scalability, and are able to replicate their model. "
"They have proven that they can scale. "

Innovative

"They are constantly innovating, both in terms of scaling its microfinance operations as well as moving into other social sectors."
"They are innovative and willing to share best practices. "
"They have good attention to, and are trying to explore new program designs. They are also starting to measure impact nicely."

Deep Grassroots Presence

"They have a strong grassroots presence. "
"They have a huge outreach and focus on the poorest. "

Effective Programs

"They are effectively offering livelihood and other services. "
"They are good at executing their core program. "
"They have integrated services and are poverty focused. "
"They have graduation programmes. "
"They have extraordinary reach and innovative programs."

Deep Grassroots Presence

"They have deep roots in the communities they serve. "

Areas for Improvement

Expand and Innovate Program

"They need to offer more services to borrowers so it results in real life-changing impact. "
"They should be willing to innovate more with their model. "
"They should spread their graduation programmes. "

Expand Geographically

"They should keep growing. "
"They need to expand to more countries where others haven’t succeeded yet. "
"They should get into China. "
"They should expand their geographical outreach. "
"They should collaborate with others. "

Improve their Management

"They need to improve their management and program policy. "
"They should tighten administrative and management practices."

The views expressed on this page are those of each individual expert and not necessarily those of Philanthopedia. Note that each quote represents the views of just one person and may not reflect the sentiments of the entire group. We do not disclose the names of the experts who gave each comment to protect their anonymity

" “I am very happy and feel proud of being able to support my family”, says Mehfuza (20), of Kapasia village in Gazipur district, as she plays with her goats in her courtyard. She became an ELA (Employment & Livelihood for Adolescents) group member three years ago and took progressively larger loans to buy goats and cows to raise her family income. (BRAC Annual Report 2008) "
-Mehfuza (Farmer)

" Hosnara Parveen (38) sells oil from a store that she and her husband run jointly in Kapasia Bazaar. She took her first loan of 20,000 to invest in their oil business. Later, she took several more loans, the last of 45,000, to buy three scooters (three-wheelers). She has two daughters and one son. One daughter is already married, another attends grade 8 and her son studies in grade 6. (BRAC Annual Report 2008)"
-Hosnara Parveen (Oil Businesswoman)

" After Jahanara Begum (38) was identified as a beneficiary of BRAC’s Ultra Poor Programme, she received a cow, a cow shed and materials to rebuild her home in Maria village in Kishoreganj Sadar. She also started to receive BDT 175/week for 50 weeks. With savings from this new income, Jahanara bought a goat and a chicken. The chickens lay eggs that she either feeds her children or sells. So far, she has managed to save BDT 870 just by selling eggs. A BRAC staff taught Jahanara to write her name. She also received a three-day long enterprise training on cow-rearing from BRAC. Jahanara has four children. Her husband is a chronic asthma patient and is unable to work. Her oldest son had to work in a grocery store as an assistant to support the family. (BRAC Annual Report 2008) "
-Jahanara Begum (Farmer)

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