2017 STICHTING BRAC INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT CONTENT

02 Chairperson’s Foreword 03 Letter from The Executive Director 04 About Us 05 What We Do 06 BRAC Across The World 08 Scorecard 10 Development Partners 12 Stichting BRAC International Management 13 Stichting BRAC International Supervisory Board 16 Group Finance and Audit Committee 18 Microfinance 20 Education 22 Early Childhood Development 24 Agriculture, Food Security and Livelihood 26 Health 28 Ultra Poor Graduation 30 Empowerment and Livelihood for Adolescents 32 Emergency Preparedness and Response 34 Financial Highlights

CHAIRPERSON’S LETTER FROM THE FOREWORD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

There are more young people today than at any other time in We are building schools only for girls in Afghanistan and Over recent years, significant investments have been of greatest concern. Globalisation and technology are made to ensure the survival and optimal development reshaping the lives of young people worldwide. 85 human history. Children and young people make majority of Pakistan, places where it is extremely difficult for them to go of children during the first decade of life. Globally, the percent of jobs that today’s learners will be doing the world’s population, with specific needs and aspirations to school.

under-five mortality rate has decreased significantly. in 2030 do not exist now. There is an urgent need for the future, which poses both immense opportunities In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, 14.2% of the youth population Around 20,000 fewer children died every day in 2016 to redesign curricula for secondary, vocational and and challenges. While we as a global community have than in 1990. However, this progress has not been higher education to develop skills and competences is unemployed, representing massive untapped potential made significant progress in ensuring a better life for all, universal. Inequities in child mortality between high- that will meet the needs of the future. Our goal should for growth. Everyone should be able to contribute and income and low-income countries remain large. be to create adaptable learners who are capable there is always more work to be done. One in five children, reap development dividends and our ELA programme Reducing these inequities across countries and saving of reengineering their own skills and capacities in adolescents and youth is out of school. That is 263 million ensures just that for our out-of-school adolescent girls. more children’s lives by ending preventable child deaths disrupted economies. Attention must also be paid to children and youth across the world. are important priorities. developing children and young people’s human qualities With specialised skills and entrepreneurial lessons, our and values, such as empathy, cooperation and integrity. Today’s young people will be tomorrow’s leaders - in our programme enables them to unlock their potential and We also need to focus on the second decade families, in our workplaces, in our communities. Over a contribute to society. We give our girls access to microloans of children’s lives. A safe, healthy passage from Political instability and conflict are leaving young people adolescence into adulthood is the right of every child. To vulnerable to violence, disrupting their schooling and third of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets so they can start their own enterprises.

fulfil this right, families and societies need to ensure that access to basic health services, and in many cases, highlight the role of young people and the importance Our newly-launched Skills Development Programme in Nepal adolescents and youth acquire the knowledge and skills inflicting psychological trauma. We must accelerate of their empowerment, participation, and wellbeing. The required to lead productive and fulfilling lives. Calls for efforts to protect children and young people from connects children and youth to apprenticeships and equips SDGs highlight that young people are a driving force for investment in children and young people have increased violence, drug abuse, conflict and poverty, to enable them with the skills needed to not only affect change in their dramatically in recent years. More and more countries them to lead more productive lives and contribute to development however they need to be provided with the own lives but also in the communities they are a part of. agree that policies, which help young people fulfil their society. skills and opportunities needed to reach their potential.

potential, also drive economic development. Therefore we at BRAC International have shifted our Our extraordinary strides in the field of development mean strategy to focus on ensuring children and youth have better Challenges persist in both the education and skills that we are ready to provide a better, more equitable life for opportunities. sectors. We need to ensure that all children complete our children. As our future change-makers, children hold their primary schooling and go on to secondary school. Additional efforts are required to empower girls We have invested in Early Childhood Development incredible potential for innovation. It is our responsibility to to believe that they are capable of doing everything programmes in Tanzania, Uganda and Liberia. A dollar give them what they deserve. We cannot let their potential go Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, KCMG boys can. The lack of improvement in the quality and invested in early childhood development yields a seven-fold unrealised. Founder and Chairperson outcomes of education is another concern. return in the future. Having a strong foundation from an early The global youth unemployment rate stands at 13 age leads to more productive citizens in the future. percent, which is three times higher than the figure for adults. This lack of job opportunities is one of the issues We believe education is a universal right and no one, no matter the circumstance, should be left behind. 130 million

girls between the age of 6 and 17 are out of school and 15 Faruque Ahmed million girls of primary-school age will never enter school. Executive Director BRAC International

2 | Annual Report Annual Report | 3 ABOUT US WHAT WE DO

Stichting BRAC International

Set up in 2009 as a non-profit foundation in the ULTRA-POOR Netherlands to govern and manage all BRAC entities MICROFINANCE EDUCATION GRADUATION outside , except for our affiliates. In each of EMERGENCY these countries, the entities are legally registered with SMALL IS relevant authorities in compliance with all applicable legal PREPAREDNESS and regulatory requirements. BEAUTIFUL, AND RESPONSE BUT BIG IS BRAC International Holdings B.V. Sir Fazle Hasan Abed NECESSARY Founder & Chairperson, BRAC Set up in 2010 as a private limited liability company under the laws of the Netherlands and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stichting BRAC International. It is a socially responsible for profit organisation, engaging people in economic activities, and creating sustainable income generating activities for themselves. It provides funding for the social development programmes under Stichting BRAC International. The core focus is to provide microfinance services to people who are financially constrained and marginalised, and people who do not have access to the financing facilities offered by banks and other non-bank financial institutions. AGRICULTURE, EMPOWERMENT HEALTH Our Affiliates FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOOD Founded in 2006 to raise our profile globally. They play a critical role building awareness, AND LIVELIHOOD FOR ADOLESCENTS developing new business plans, mobilizing resources, and maintaining effective partnership with institutional donors, foundations, NGOs, research organisations as well as the media. They collaborate with international counterparts to design and implement cost- effective and evidence-based poverty innovations worldwide. We opt for an integrated and comprehensive approach by working simultaneously on health care, educational opportunities, economic progresses and overall development. BRAC USA Our programmes focus on microfinance, education, ultra poor graduation, agriculture, food security and livelihood, empowering adolescents, health, and emergency Our North American affiliate based in New York. preparedness and response. Through our programmes we create opportunities for people in need. BRAC UK Our UK-based affiliate in London.

4 | Annual Report Annual Report | 5 BRAC ACROSS THE WORLD

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6 | Annual Report Annual Report | 7 SCORECARD

554,641 number of borrowers from MICROFINANCE programme in Liberia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda

1,984 106,356 1,6 87, 216 number of participants number of HEALTH service received livelihood assets (73% girls) recipients in Afghanistan, management trainings learners in EDUCATION Pakistan, Liberia, Uganda, from ULTRA-POOR programme within 2,350 Sierra Leone, and South GRADUATION programme schools in Pakistan, Sudan in Uganda, and Pakistan Afghanistan, Philippines, Liberia, Uganda, and Tanzania 62,558 134,230 331 number of members in number of farmers in community volunteers our EMPOWERMENT AGRICULTURE, FOOD formed and activated AND LIVELIHOOD FOR SECURITY AND LIVELIHOOD in the EMERGENCY ADOLESCNETS programme programme in Uganda, PREPAREDNESS AND operating in Uganda, Tanzania, Liberia, and RESPONSE programme in Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Myanmar and Sierra Leone Liberia, and Nepal

8 | Annual Report Annual Report | 9 OUR PARTNERS

10 | Annual Report Annual Report | 11 STICHTING BRAC INTERNATIONAL STICHTING BRAC INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT SUPERVISORY BOARD

Gates Award for Global Health (2004), Gleitsman Foundation MANAGEMENT BOARD International Activist Award (2003), Schwab Foundation’s Social Entrepreneurship Award (2003), (2001), InterAction Humanitarian Award (1998) and Ramon Magsaysay Sir Fazle Hasan Abed KCMG Award for Community Leadership (1980). Founder and Chairperson He is also recognised by Ashoka as one of the ‘global greats’ and is a founding member of its prestigious Global Academy FARUQUE AHMED Sir Fazle was born in 1936 in Bangladesh. He studied Accountancy for Social Entrepreneurship. In 2009, he was appointed Knight EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRAC International in London, qualifying as a Cost Management Accountant in 1962. Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and While he was working as a senior corporate executive at Pakistan St. George by the British Crown in recognition of his services to Shell, the 1970 cyclone and 1971 Liberation War in Bangladesh reducing poverty in Bangladesh and internationally. Sir Fazle was dramatically changed the direction of his life. He left his job and a member of the Group of Eminent Persons appointed by the UN moved to London, where he helped initiate Action Bangladesh Secretary-General in 2010 to advise on support for the Least and HELP Bangladesh in support of the Liberation War. Developed Countries. In both 2014 and 2017, he was named in Fortune Magazine’s List of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Early in 1972, after the war was over, he returned to the newly- independent Bangladesh, finding the economy in ruins. The The many honorary degrees received by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed return of 10 million refugees, who had sought shelter in India include those from (2014), the University of LAMIA RASHID SHAMERAN ABED SAIF MD IMRAN SIDDIQUE during the war, called for urgent relief and rehabilitation efforts. Oxford (2009), (2008) and DIRECTOR DIRECTOR DIRECTOR Microfinance, Ultra Poor programmes Africa Region, BRAC International Finance, BRAC International Sir Fazle established BRAC to address the needs of refugees in BRAC and BRAC International a remote area of north-eastern Bangladesh, guided by a desire to help the poor develop their own capacity to better manage their lives. Sylvia Borren Today BRAC is one of the largest NGOs in the world, operating Vice Chair across eleven countries in Africa and Asia. Its primary objectives OTHER DIRECTORS are to alleviate poverty and empower the poor. In 2018, for the third consecutive year, BRAC was ranked first among the world’s Sylvia Borren has worked all her life within and for civil society top 500 NGOs in terms of impact, innovation and sustainability, organisations, both professionally and as a volunteer. by Geneva-based ‘NGO Advisor’. She was part of the Dutch and global women’s and sexual Sir Fazle has been honoured with numerous national and rights movements (COC, ILGA, IWC for a Just and Sustainable ASIF SALEH HANS ESKES international awards for his achievements in leading BRAC, Palestinian-Israeli Peace) and is now advisor to the UN Women SENIOR DIRECTOR DIRECTOR including the LEGO Prize (2018), Laudato Si’ Award (2017), Jose National Committee Netherlands and ATRIA (the Institute on Strategy, Communication and Empowerment BRAC International Holding B.V. BRAC and BRAC International Edgardo Campos Collaborative Leadership Award, South Asia gender equality and women’s history). Region (2016), Thomas Francis, Jr. Medal in Global Public Health (2016), World Food Prize (2015), Trust Women Hero Award (2014), Sylvia was part of the anti-poverty movement (director of Oxfam Spanish Order of Civil Merit (2014), Leo Tolstoy International Gold Novib 1994-2008, co-chair of the Global Call to Action against Medal (2014), CEU Open Society Prize (2013), Inaugural WISE Poverty and EEN) and is now on the boards of BRAC International. Prize for Education (2011), Entrepreneur for the World Award She was on two national governmental advisory commissions (for (2009), David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award (2008), Youth Policy, and the Advisory Council on International Affairs), Inaugural Clinton Global Citizen Award (2007), Henry R. Kravis co-chair of the Worldconnectors (a Dutch think tank), on the Prize in Leadership (2007), Palli Karma Shahayak Foundation board of a large mental health institute (Altrecht), worked as an organisational consultant with De Beuk for many years, lead the NANDA DULAL SAHA MOUTUSHI KABIR MUNMUN CHOWDHURY ZULFIQAR ALI (PKSF) Award for lifetime achievement in social development DIRECTOR DIRECTOR CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER DIRECTOR and poverty alleviation (2007), UNDP Mahbubul Haq Award project Quality Educators for All with the trade union Education Internal Audit, BRAC and BRAC International Communications and Outreach BRAC International Research, BRAC International International and continues as a member of the Worldconnectors. BRAC and BRAC International for Outstanding Contribution to Human Development (2004),

12 | Annual Report Annual Report | 13 Sylvia was recently director of Greenpeace Netherlands (2011- Dr Chowdhury holds a PhD from the London School of Hygiene As chair of Mijwan Welfare Society she works for the 2016), part of the Forest Stewardship Council Netherlands and Tropical Medicine, an MSc from the London School of empowerment of rural India with a focus on women and the girl and is now on the advisory commission of Staatsbosbeheer, Economics and a BA from the University of . child through education and employment. which manages nature reserves. She is senior advisor for Dr Muhammad Musa Governance & Integrity, helping civil society and corporate Ms Azmi is opposed to religious fundamentalism of all hues Member entities in organising internal integrity, and to emBRACe the and is highly respected as a progressive liberal activist. She #METOO movement as an opportunity to make organisations has been a former member of the Upper House in India’s safer for women employees and programme participants. Parliament.’ Dr Muhammad Musa is the executive director of BRAC. Dr Ms Azmi is a recipient of the International Gandhi Peace Prize Musa served in more than half a dozen countries as a senior and the Crystal Award at the World Economic Summit in leader in the area of public health, humanitarian and social Debapriya Bhattacharya Davos. She has been given countless awards for her work as development for over 35 years, of which 32 years were spent Member an actor and an activist. Ms Azmi believes art should be used with CARE International. as an instrument for social change. Dr Mushtaque Chowdhury Early in his career, Dr Musa coordinated a Child Survival Member Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, a macro-economist and public policy Project—a globally acclaimed intervention of CARE that helped analyst, is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Bangladesh to reduce under-5 mortality rate from around 143 Dialogue in Dhaka. He is a former Ambassador and Permanent in 1990 to little over 30 in 2017. His leadership, skills and Dr Mushtaque Chowdhury is an advisor to the chairperson Representative of Bangladesh to the World Trade Organisation ability to mobilise grassroots positioned CARE as a leader in and founder of BRAC. He is also a professor of population and offices in Geneva and Vienna, and the special advisor on Least public health programmeming of Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Sudan, family health at the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia Developed Countries (LDCs) to the secretary general of the Tanzania and Uganda. University, New York. During 2009-2012, he served as a senior UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He is Irene Khan Dr Musa is a successful practitioner of harmonising advisor to the Rockefeller Foundation, based in Bangkok, Thailand. associated with a number of leading institutions, networks Member humanitarian and social development interventions. He has He also worked as a MacArthur/Bell Fellow at . and editorial boards of reputed journals. Dr Bhattacharya has successfully integrated the HIV/AIDS response with development studied in Dhaka, Moscow and Oxford, and held a number of Dr Chowdhury is one of the founding members of the Bangladesh programmeming in Ethiopia, transitioned the humanitarian visiting positions, including at the Center for Global Development, Irene Khan is director-general of the International Development programme portfolio of Tanzania, and led adaptation of Project Education Watch and Bangladesh Health Watch, two civil society Washington DC. He is the chair of two global networking Law Organisation (IDLO). She is the first woman to hold this watchdogs on education and health respectively. He is on the to Programme approach in 15 country portfolios of CARE in the initiatives, LDC IV Monitor and Southern Voice on Post-MDG office. Asia region. BRAC Bangladesh is graduating its humanitarian board and committees of several organisations and initiatives, International Development Goals. He has published extensively portfolio in the Cox’s Bazar into a holistic one under his including the Advisory Board of the South Asia Centre at London on trade, investment and finance-related issues of the LDCs An international thought leader on human rights, gender and guidance. School of Economics, Lead Group for Scaling Up Nutrition and Sustainable Development Goals. His most recent edited social justice issues, Irene Khan was secretary general of Movement at United Nations and is the current chair of the book is Southern Perspectives on the Post-2015 International from 2001 to 2009. Prior to that, she Dr Musa is a globally reputed practitioner of complex Development Agenda, Routledge, London (2017). Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on Human Resources for Health worked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for 21 organisational change processes. He managed the most (AAAH) and president of Dhaka University Statistics Department years at headquarters and in various field operations. She complex transition of CARE India to a locally governed, Alumni Association (DUSDAA). Dr Chowdhury was a coordinator was visiting professor at the State University of New York Law globally engaged and financially sustainable CARE Member. of the UN Millennium Task Force on Child Health and Maternal School (Buffalo) in 2011. He lent his expertise in the transition of CARE in Bangladesh Health, set up by the former Secretary General . He and CARE USA at the global level too. As the board chair, Dr is a recipient of the ‘Innovator of the Year 2006’ award from the Ms Khan sits on the boards of several international human Musa led the reengineering of country’s first private sector Marriott Business School of Brigham Young University in USA, rights and development organisations. She is the recipient of financial institution, IPDC Finance Limited, resulting in 11x numerous honorary degrees and prestigious awards, including the PESON oration medal from the Perinatal Society of Nepal in Shabana Azmi portfolio growth and market leadership. He is leading strategic 2008 and Outstanding Leadership Award from Dhaka University Member the City of Sydney Peace Prize in 2006 for her work to end transformation of BRAC’s philanthropic model by integrating Statistics Department Alumni Association. In 2017 he received violence against women and girls. Her book, The Unheard entrepreneurial principles to future-proof BRAC’s sustainable the ‘Medical Award of Excellence’ from Ronald McDonald House Truth: Poverty and Human Rights, has been translated into impact at scale. Shabana Azmi is an internationally renowned film and theatre Charities in Chicago, USA. A book he co-authored, titled A Simple seven languages. actress. She is also a highly respected social activist. Solution: Teaching Millions to Treat Diarrhoea at Home, received an Dr Musa is a physician and a public health professional Born in Bangladesh, Irene Khan studied law at the University of award from the University Press Ltd for its ‘outstanding impact’. As chairperson of Nivara Hakk, she has worked for the rights of by training. He has received his post- graduate degrees in slum dwellers in Mumbai for the last 30 years. She undertook a Manchester and Harvard Law School. management of reproductive, maternal, and child health as well He has a wide interest in development, particularly in the areas of five-day hunger strike and courted arrest demanding alternative as nutrition from Johns Hopkins University, USA. education, public health, poverty eradication and environment. Dr accommodation for a slum that had been demolished, forcing the Chowdhury has published several books and nearly 200 articles government to agree. Nivara Hakk, in concert with the government in peer-reviewed international journals. and a private builder, has built homes for 50,000 slum dwellers at no cost.

14 | Annual Report Annual Report | 15 Shafiqul Hassan Parveen Mahmud Member Member

Parveen Mahmud is the founding managing director of Grameen Our unique holistic approach Shafiqul Hassan is the managing director of Echo Sourcing Telecom Trust. In her varied professional career Ms Mahmud Limited UK and Echotex Limited Bangladesh. Echotex has received to poverty alleviation include a has worked on social innovations, women’s empowerment, Bangladesh’s National Environmental Award, Metropolitan entrepreneurship and sustainable development. She previously Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka’s Environmental range of core programmes in practised as a chartered accountant. Ms Mahmud is the Award and J Sainsbury plc’s Corporate Social Responsibility first woman council member and president of the Institute of economic and social development. Award in 2010. Echotex was also awarded Best Clothing Supplier Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB). She is serving in 2011 as well as Best Clothing Supplier and Supplier of the BRAC’s institutional expertise her third term in the Council, ICAB and is the chairperson of CA Year in 2012 by J Sainsbury plc. Mr Hassan is the co-founder of Women in Leadership Committee. She was also the first female Children’s Hope, an NGO that works to educate slum children in on successfully implemented board member of the South Asian Federation of Accountants Dhaka. He is also a co-founder of a clothing label called Ninety (SAFA), the apex accounting professional body within SAARC. programmes is applied in Percent, launched in February 2018, which donates 90% of She was the deputy managing director of PKSF, a major distributed profits to a selection of charitable causes. funding organisation for microfinance, and now is a member countries where our models

of the PKSF Board. She sits on the boards of a few leading He obtained his undergraduate degree from City University, are either replicated or adapted organisations and chairs the finance and audit committee. She London and his postgraduate degrees from Aston University, is the chairperson of MIDAS and Shasha Denims Ltd, and is a Birmingham, UK. according to the country context. former chairperson of Acid Survivors’ Foundation. Together, we help people realise their potential and create GROUP FINANCE AND opportunities through: AUDIT COMMITTEE 1. MICROFINANCE Dr Fawzia Rasheed Composition of the present finance and audit committee is Member as follows: 2. EDUCATION Ms. Parveen Mahmud, Chair 3. EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Dr Muhammad Musa, Member Dr Fawzia Rasheed is a specialist in programme design and Ms. Sylvia Borren, Member 4. AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECURITY governance. She has been an advisor to 16 national ministries Mr. Faruque Ahmed, Member AND LIVELIHOOD of health. She has also served as senior policy advisor to a Mr. Hans Eskes, Member number of national and international development organisations, Mr. Saif Md Imran Siddique, Secretary of the Committee 5. HEALTH including UNAIDS, the World Health Organisation, The Global 6. EMPOWERMENT AND LIVELIHOOD Fund, CARE International, the Aga Khan Development Network, The primary function of the finance and audit committee is to and the Kofi Annan Foundation. As part of fundraising drives, assist the governing board in fulfilling its responsibilities on FOR ADOLESCENTS she has worked with Heads of State to advocate for additional the: resources in health. As well as many years in health sector 7. ULTRA-POOR GRADUATION work in Asia and Africa, Dr Rasheed has been engaged in • Financial reporting and budgeting processes 8. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND broader development themes, including election reform, • System of internal controls and risk assessment natural resource management, and financial transparency. • Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements RESPONSE Specialist institutions she helped conceptualise include the • Qualifications, independence, and performance of the Drugs for Neglected Disease Initiative and the Electoral Integrity external auditors Initiative. Dr Rasheed, has authored many papers on health • Qualifications, independence, and performance of the and development and holds a PhD from the London School of internal auditfunction Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

16 | Annual Report Annual Report | 17 MICROFINANCE

Liberia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda

In the same year, we started in the process of transforming THE CHALLENGE operations in Uganda reaching into a deposit-taking institution, According to the World Bank, 194,616 borrowers through 155 which will enable us to offer a approximately 1.7 billion adults in branches by the end of 2017. In wider range of financial services the world do not have access to addition to our core products, to our clients. Furthermore, we formal financial services. Over half in Uganda we also offer tailored plan to expand our operations of all unbanked adults are women. financial services to refugees, to new countries in Africa with Millions of households around the adolescent girls, smallholder our mission to provide inclusive HIGHLIGHTS world still save, borrow and manage farmers, and community health financial access to households day-to-day expenditures through promoters. We are the largest living in poverty. In Liberia and Sierra Leone, informal means. These choices microfinance provider in Sierra successfully launched a tailored loan are often risky, unreliable and Leone and Liberia by number product for job holders. expensive. of clients served, operating with 31 branches in 11 districts and IMPACT In Myanmar, launched the digital 24 branches in six counties FURTHERING OUR REACH financial diaries project to explore OUR APPROACH respectively by the end of 2017. microfinance product diversification. Our mission is to provide inclusive In Asia, BRAC Pakistan provides In Pakistan, disbursed financial access to households living • Our total borrowers are 3,836 three main products - microloans, agriculture loans; of in poverty, create self-employment small enterprise loans, and 554,641, an increase of 25% agriculture loan clients are youths. opportunities, and harness women’s agriculture loans - operating 6% from 2016 A SPIRITED ENTREPRENEUR entrepreneurial spirit by empowering through 66 branch offices across In Tanzania, of the them economically. 12 districts. In Myanmar, we 55% • USD 233 Million I am Mary Forbie. I am the owner of a small grocery shop in my microfinance portfolio reached a operate with 42 branches in five disbursed in We deliver financial services to regions. Furthering our financial hometown. There was a time when I was unable to provide adequate rural population and 45% urban people who are unbanked in a way service offering in Myanmar, we microfinance loans, an food and pay school fees for my five children. I wanted to expand my and suburban populations. that is accessible and convenient, are working to develop products increase of 13% from business so that I can sell more but I was short on capital. I came to with a special focus on women. We to address the specific needs provide access to credit to people 2016 know about BRAC microfinance loans from one of my neighbors. I In Uganda, disbursed 2,599 of people with disabilities and attended a group meeting close to my house to learn more about the micro loans to returnee refugees. through two main components - a women’s enterprise development. group-based microloan facility • 96% of the clients we process. Eventually, I decided to take a loan to expand my business. specifically for women and an served were women enterprise loan targeting both MOVING I took my first loan of 450,000 Leones (~50 USD) from BRAC Moriba male and female small-scale town branch, Sierra Leone, in the year 2011. I used the loan to buy entrepreneurs. FORWARD cooking materials and grow my stock. As my business expanded, my Since its inception in 2006, our It is a part of our continued profit increased, which allowed me to take larger loans. My last loan microfinance programme in commitment to customise financial from BRAC was three million Leones (~345 USD). BRAC microfinance Tanzania has reached 138 branch products and strengthen delivery loans have not only supported me to grow my business but also helped offices across 25 regions with a channels to offer greater value me to build a house where my family and I currently live. client base of 183,182 borrowers. to our clients. In Uganda, we are

18 | Annual Report Annual Report | 19 EDUCATION

Afghanistan, Liberia, Pakistan, Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda

and encouraging ownership THE CHALLENGE of communities. We provide OUR IMPACT Progress in the education sector scholarships and stipends at the has faced tough challenges in secondary level, needs-based developing regions due to high training, and student mentoring • Students in BRAC to improve mainstream education HIGHLIGHTS levels of poverty, conflicts, violence, schools scored displacement, discrimination, and approaches. Our schools are Opened Community based other emergencies. According to located within the community and 35% higher in both 300 schools in Pakistan UNDP children from the poorest we recruit female teachers from mathematics and english households are four times more the community. The curriculum is compared to government condensed to provide accelerated Enrolled over 9,187 students likely to be out of school than schools (Evaluation those of the richest households. learning for children to catch up (61% girls) in Pakistan In Asia and Sub-Saharan regions with their peers by completing of community based DREAMS BECAME REALITY disparities between rural and urban customized primary education. schools in South Sudan, Graduated 4,242 learners in With a class size of no more My name is Nakitende Bariirah. Since childhood, I nurtured dreams areas remain prominent; achieving 2012) Pakista inclusive and quality education than 30, students receive equal of becoming a doctor. However, after losing my father in primary attention from the teachers in a for everyone is a challenge for school, this dream started to seem unattainable because my father More than 5-6 year old participatory and child-friendly • Changed girls’ self- 1800 sustainable development. Our was the pillar our family depended. Having left eight school-going learning environment. children graduated from 63 pre- goal is to ensure that children get perceptions, confidence children, my now single, unemployed mother, opened a small primary schools in Tanzania access to education, complete and attitude towards restaurant to sustain us. Owing to my exceptionally good academic schooling, and we can eliminate gender norms within the club members received gender inequalities. MOVING performance, I sailed through O’ Level with support from school 700 family (Girls’ Education livelihood training and provided with FORWARD bursaries, until A’ Level, when I was enrolled on the Mastercard input support Tanzania OUR APPROACH Challenge Project, RCT Foundation scholars programme at BRAC. results, Tanzania, 2016) Graduated scholars in With our long and proven 1,100 We believe that learning My dream, once unattainable, became a reality after I excelled in Uganda expertise in community-based comes in many forms and our education strategies, we will • Students obtained the 2017 UACE exams and qualified for medicine and surgery at multidimensional interventions scale our interventions to significantly higher Makerere University on government scholarship. I hope to later Partnered with 105 top performing ensure that; our programme gives schools in Uganda maximise our reach and impact. specialise in cardiology in my medicine career. I also have a dream of a second chance to out-of-school learning scores We will focus on strengthening children, focusing especially on owning a heart institute in order to provide specialised assistance to and supplementing existing (compared to baseline girls. These include pre-primary people with heart conditions. government efforts through and midline study), education, accelerating learning training and technical assistance. in both reading and process, primary education, We continue to deliver cost- I am very thankful for the scholarship programme for empowering study clubs, teachers’ education, mathematics (GEC effective, high-quality education me, as it enabled me to access education in one of the best schools and community mobilisation services in places with low project, endline in Uganda and nurtured me into a responsible citizen through the on girls’ education as well as access to education. We will also evaluation, Afghanistan, developing child-friendly learning programme’s community service, give back training and leadership explore new operating models 2017) atmosphere. We focus on improving congress. I strongly believe in leaving a mark in the lives of others, beyond direct service. participation, raising awareness on which has motivated me, to engage the youth in my community in gender equality and child rights, the fight against youth susceptible vices like drugs, early pregnancies and sports betting. I often call for group discussions where we discuss the dangers of this behavior, and I believe this activity had a positive impact on the youths in my community.

20 | Annual Report Annual Report | 21 EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Liberia, Tanzania, Uganda

old children and one-year pre- THE CHALLENGE primary for 5-6 year old children OUR IMPACT Children who are denied depending on the requirement access and opportunity of early of the specific country context. • A total of 160 play labs for 3 childhood services, miss a crucial The key features of BRAC’s ECD to 5 years old children have approach are: development phase in their lives. been operating in Uganda and In the poor, marginalized, and Tanzania reaching about 4,800 conflict affected communities, 1. Center based Early Childhood with the least access to early Development (ECD) children. childhood services, children are programme for 3 to 6 year old • To generate rigorous evidence children often exposed to violence and from the play labs, a total of 8 exploitation. Without quality early 2. Play based curriculum global tools have been adapted learning opportunities children are 3. Trained Play Leaders less likely to attend primary school, 4. Locally made low cost play in Uganda and Tanzania (e.g. A COMMITMENT TO CREATE A PLAYFUL LEARNING more likely to drop out, and in the materials ASQ, ASQ-SE, CHILD, DIPP, 5. Parenting education ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN long term, perpetuate the poverty WPPSI, HSTK, KAP, Play Lab cycle. BRAC intends to ensure 6. Community Involvement Fidelity) the optimal development of 0–6 7. Evidence-based advocacy My name is Mwajuma Rashidi and I run a small tailoring business in Machinjioni, Tanzania. I am year old children and improve their • In Uganda, 95% parents have also the chairperson of our local Play Lab Management Committee. My granddaughter Fatihiya chances of breaking out of poverty Moshi is enrolled in this Play Lab. observed positive changes in as they progress through education MOVING and later life. their children’s development, When the Play Lab was established, some of us received a general orientation about the project, FORWARD 63% parents reported that they including material development knowledge. I was elected as chairperson by my peers because OUR APPROACH With our long and proven make play materials and toys of my enthusiasm and dedication towards the project. BRAC enhanced my capacity to oversee expertise in community-based for their children at home, 85% the centre and committee by providing Play Lab Management and Child Protection Committee BRAC focuses on a community service delivery, we will scale parents reported that they play Training. based cost-effective solution for our interventions to maximise creating access to early learning our reach and impact. We with their children at home. Years ago when my other young children were studying, I never cared about going to their services through constructing ECD will focus on strengthening (Play Lab project, monitoring school even for dropping offs and pick ups, let alone helping teachers in some activities. centers with child friendly, safe and supplementing existing report ,Uganda, 2018) But now I do all these things. So this Play Lab has made me aware of my responsibilities to environment, trained caregivers government efforts through participate in educational activities of my grandchildren. and an age appropriate play-based training and technical assistance. • In Tanzania, 94% of parents curriculum. Active participation of We will make our ECD services have observed improvement in Assisting the Play Leader helped me to understand that children have their own unique parents and community members more comprehensive and children’s development, 71% personality. I have also learnt to make local play materials and realised how useful it is at home in the centers are some of the will ensure access of most core inputs of this approach. marginalized and disadvantaged of parents have made play and how affordable play materials can be if made by ourselves. I always share my learning with BRAC implements three years children. materials for children to play the members of my savings group so that we can make local play materials in simple way for ECD focusing two years early at home,71% of parents tell our children. learning interventions for 3-5 year story to children at home. (Play I think there is a need to increase more play based ECD centres to reach more children under Lab project, monitoring report five years old who do not have access to such opportunities. I have understood the importance ,Tanzania ,2018) of learning through play for the holistic development of children in all the domains. Therefore, I suggest that parents should be encouraged to play with their children even at home and make local toys for their children.

22 | Annual Report Annual Report | 23 AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOOD

Liberia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan

and invest in poultry and livestock. THE CHALLENGE We arrange demonstration farms OUR IMPACT with farmers who lead the producer 75% of the world’s poor live in rural groups and provide training on HIGHLIGHTS areas, where local economies are modern cultivation techniques. built on the efforts of smallholders • In Tanzania, after four years of We are continuously improving intervention (2013-2017) of the – farmers who work on less than our varieties through research and Trained 52,863 maize farmers a hectare of land, yet produce development while supplying quality Livelihood Enhancement through and poultry farmers in 80% of the food consumed in the 53,597 inputs through either our own Agricultural Development (LEAD) new techniques and technologies in developing world. Despite the sources (seed farm, feed mill and availability of yield-boosting modern project, production was more Tanzania hatchery) or other private sectors. than double, median income farming technologies, farmers Our cooperation with government THE PROUD PIG FARMER Reached smallholder lack access to these innovations agencies and partners allow increased by 400% in maize 19,200 farmers to promote the orange fleshed and struggle to produce beyond sustainable impact. and 961% in poultry. More Life was extremely difficult for me after the civil war. I am a 55-year- subsistence. Limited technical know- old single mother of four children. I and my children used to survive sweet potato in Uganda how and mechanization, low access than 27,000 farmers received agriculture loans from BRAC, on a single meal every day. I used to rear pigs as a smallholder farmer to credit, poor connectivity with MOVING here in the Panlap community of Bombali district. My livelihood, like Established 500 seed dealers agricultural markets, and the impacts with repayment rates close to many others in Sierra Leone, became unsustainable during the war. around the country in Uganda of climate change further constrain FORWARD 100%. smallholders’ success, with women Established seven pig breeding & farmers further challenged by Our focus is to strengthen market • In Uganda, BRAC’s agri- I had no access to medical facilities, and my children were not multiplication farms, model pig a significant gender gap in the systems by building sustainable, learning in school. Rebuilding the pig farm seemed impossible since 75 nutrition programme, which rearers and 750 general pig rearers agriculture sector. pro-poor value chains. We will all my income went towards feeding my children. There were also improve agricultural production and focuses on expanding intake of in Sierra Leone agriculture-based nutrition through nutrient-rich foods, resulted clear difficulties in accessing piglets and pig feeds. I started selling OUR APPROACH extension services on agronomic in an enormous increase in the palm wine to earn more money, with the hope of starting my piggery Produced 187 kg maize seeds and practices, grow nutrient–dense enterprise again in the future. kg rice seeds in our seed We develop value chains for consumption of the nutritious 5,466 vegetables and raise livestock. We farm and distributed to farmers in smallholder farmers by combining orange-flesh sweet potato, will also promote climate-smart I was selected as a general pig farmer through BRAC’s pig value Siera Leone capacity building and extension agriculture. We are in the process of from 4% of individuals in the services, and link them to markets chain project, and participated in intensive farm management training. development of AFSL programme control group to 24%-70% of to sustain the results. Our extension I was provided with a pair of large white cross sows and one boar for strategy for next five from 2018 those in various intervention service providers promote good – 2022. We intend to reach an onward rearing after the training. I also participated in all the local pig agronomic practices and techniques additional about 400,000 smallholder groups (Okello and Mpiira, 2017) producer group meetings and workshops organised by the project. that farmers can incorporate when farmers over the next five years • In Afghanistan, with knowledge I was one of the early adopters in the project. I learned and quickly managing their farms, and they and support them to increase their profit from selling low-cost inputs in nutrition inspired almost 99% implemented standard rearing systems, and saw a high production of income and improve household food 8-10 piglets per litter with good growth. to farmers. We organise producer security. Our focus is on women and girls to participate in agricultural groups of farmers and provide them the youth. activities. Participation with technical support to cultivate I now have five matured pigs. I have sold 12 piglets at 4,920,000 SL increased by 34% in treatment and use improved varieties of crops (USD 646) over the last year. This has been a very significant increase areas compared to control in my income. It has helped me improve my family’s diet. I am now areas. earning enough to spend on other things apart from food. I have even employed three other women from my community to help in my farm.

24 | Annual Report Annual Report | 25 HEALTH

Afghanistan, Liberia, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Uganda HIGHLIGHTS children. We partnered with the THE CHALLENGE Ministry of Health to reduce child OUR IMPACT mortality, improve maternal health Our targeted countries face some Trained Female Community and combat diseases such as 21 of the worst health conditions in the Health Volunteers in ward no. 1, 2, and tuberculosis and malaria. These • Use of contraceptives world. According to the World Bank, 11 in Namo Buddha Municipality, Nepal the maternal mortality rate in Sierra services are delivered through (condoms) doubled and Leone (1,360) is the highest in the trainings on basic literacy skills, fertility rate dropped health volunteers facilitated world, with South Sudan (789) and making oral rehydration solutions, 21 21 mothers’ groups with a total of Liberia (725) close behind. Pakistan and raising awareness on good by 26% among the 334 (39.6%), and Uganda (30.6%) have hygiene practices through participants of members in Nepal a high percentage of stunting in WASH activities. We ensure full our adolescent programme SUPERWOMAN OF THE VILLAGE immunisation coverage in target children under five according to the in Uganda (Oriana, 2015) I am Hameeda, from Helmand, a province lying south to Afghanistan. Provided 686 women with four European Commission. areas and distribute insecticide antenatal care checks in Pakistan treated bed nets for new mothers My in law’s village is a conservative one. Here, women are not allowed • 27% decrease in under- Communities in developing countries and newborn children. Our to pursue education, let alone a profession. I started my life as a Provided women with interventions focus on playing a five mortality, 33% 1,068 lack medical equipment, trained staff, homemaker, until one incident changed it all for me. postnatal care in Pakistan and healthcare facilities. Our health pivotal role in both primary and decrease in infant mortality, interventions are designed to ensure secondary level healthcare. A pregnant woman in our neighbourhood was expected to deliver and 27% decrease in Fully immunised children in these numbers come down. a baby. In our community, babies are delivered at home, with 5,417 neonatal mortality. BRAC Pakistan supervision from elderly women of the community. We do not in Uganda contributed to have any midwives. When the woman went to labour things got MOVING Established 135 branches across OUR APPROACH these impacts by making complicated and struggling for her life. The hospital was far away and home visits and promoting 72 districts supporting a total FORWARD the village did not have an ambulance. The incident shook me to my of community health Community-based healthcare knowledge about health, 4,082 We will expand our activities and core. promoters in Uganda is the cornerstone of successful preventive behaviour, case implementation of the health system. continue to adapt our models to A few days later, BRAC started running a satellite clinic in our village. management of malaria Its success depends on community the local context. Our experience We started receiving basic health care services once a week. The Trained 2,507 health promoters in developing countries has participation and their cooperation and diarrhea after three clinic also had awareness sessions on mothers’ and children’s health, on mobile application and transitioned with our health staff. We work at created awareness for the health promoters to utilise years of intervention in nutrition and so on. From the clinic manager, I came to know about 4,082 the community and facility level to constraints of people in poverty mobile application in Uganda strengthen the capacity of female in specific regions. We will work Uganda (Svensson, 2016) a midwifery school ran by BRAC near our village. Even though I was community health volunteers, health to overcome these limitations eligible and wanted to join, it was going to be difficult to convince my workers, and doctors so that they through new innovations family. can provide educational, preventive, and strengthen our current and curative health services. Our interventions in target countries. First, I convinced my husband and told him how I can help other primary focus is mothers and women in the village who are in dire need of a midwife. I told him how lives can be saved. Once he was convinced, he talked to the elders of the family. The elders of his family and the community then visited the midwifery school and permitted my joining the midwifery course. Now I, along with 23 more girls aging between 16-22 years, are taking up a training course on community midwifery education. I am learning and practicing every detail of attending childbirth. After completion of my training, I will return to my village and start working as a midwife.

26 | Annual Report Annual Report | 27 EMPOWERMENT AND LIVELIHOOD FOR ADOLESCENTS Liberia, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda HIGHLIGHTS Established 20 ELA clubs in ward no. 1, 2 and 11 in Namobuddha Municipality, Kavre, Nepal with books health, family planning, life skills, and indoor and outdoor games THE CHALLENGE and financial literacy. We believe OUR IMPACT We work in the countries with the that social empowerment and Provided 422 girls with life skills highest child marriage and teenage economic empowerment go Girls who are socially hand in hand. Members are training from 20 mentors in Nepal pregnancy rates. Adolescent girls are aware of their rights are vulnerable, and the cost of also given basic financial literacy Provided 4,282 girls with life skills not protecting them is high. Child to earn, save, handle budget and have the confidence based education in Tanzania marriage often prevents girls from management and business to assert themselves Provided girls with livelihood continuing their education and planning. Our microloan services 722 and resolve conflict. training to support and encourage the realising their full potential. 12 for older and non-schooling ELA members allow them to start their They understand that establishment of income generating years of education for every girl activities in Tanzania would result in a 64% drop in child own entrepreneurial journey. education is a necessity marriage. Our goal is to empower and avoid early marriage Provided 20,831 girls with girls by unlocking their potential MOVING and pregnancy. ELA girls training in life skills and 19,831 through education, life-skills, and take control of their lives with financial literacy training in livelihood opportunities. This enables Uganda them to fight unwanted social FORWARD and in turn, they empower GIRL WITH WINGS their loved ones and their pressures and build healthier futures We will develop and scale an Provided 281 survivors of My name is Joyce Moses Maswaga and I am 14 years old. I am violence with a specialised package for themselves. even stronger ELA model with communities. the first born in a family of six. Naturally, my three younger sisters of psychosocial support including the knowledge we have gained. treatment in Uganda OUR APPROACH We will emphasize reduction in Findings from a 2015 look up to me for guidance. My parents moved to Morogoro to early pregnancy and livelihood/ research by London School invest in farming because of the favourable weather conditions Implementing 160 clubs in We create and provide safe spaces skills development. Our target there, and I eagerly looked for guidance to grow and take care of four districts (Kambia, Port Loko, for girls aged 11-21, especially those of Economics and the will expand to adolescent boys World Bank: myself. Moyamba, and Bo) in 2017-2018 in who have dropped out of school and who are brothers, partners, and Sierra Leone might be at risk of getting pregnant neighbors of our ELA members. • ELA girls are 72% I first heard about ELA Clubs while in Standard IV, through a Engaged parents during at a young age. Our Empowerment We understand that change more likely to engage 9600 and Livelihood for Adolescents girl who was narrating the programme’s activities to her friends community forums across four cannot be possible if only girls are in income generating (ELA) clubs offer spaces where girls in school; I admired her confidence and maturity; her high self- districts on adolescent girls issues in empowered. activities Sierra Leone can sing, dance, play games and esteem inspired me to join the programme because I wanted to socialise with their friends within • Teen pregnancy fell be just as strong. Hand in hand, we walked to the nearest ELA walking distance of their homes. In by 26% and early every club, one girl is trained as a club called Chamwino ‘A’. The girls were not only friendly, they mentor to teach the others about entry into marriage/ were knowledgeable, smart and full of confidence. nutrition, sexual and reproductive cohabitation fell by 58% In our community, many girls have been lured to early pregnancies • Girls reporting sex because of their greed for material things. Were it not for ELA, against their will who knows where I would be today? ELA has given me good life dropped from 14% to lessons that have inspired my confidence and focus. I feel as if almost half I have developed wings to fly. As I concentrate on my studies in school, I know nothing can stop me from reaching my dreams.

28 | Annual Report Annual Report | 29 ULTRA-POOR GRADUATION Pakistan, Uganda

The Graduation approach is a THE CHALLENGE comprehensive, time-bound, MOVING When the world committed to the integrated and sequenced set of FORWARD Sustainable Development Goals interventions that aim to enable in 2015, we promised to leave no extreme and ultra-poor households BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation one behind – and yet ultra-poverty to achieve key milestones towards Initiative provides technical remains a huge challenge, with sustainable livelihoods and assistance, advisory services progress still too slow. socioeconomic resilience, in order and advocacy on the Graduation to progress along a pathway out of approach to UN agencies, NGOs Today, approximately 800 million extreme poverty. and governments on how to people in this world are living in implement quality Graduation extreme poverty, with earnings Inspired by BRAC’s successful programmes worldwide. BRAC’s less than US$1.90. People living implementation of a large- technical assistance and advisory in ultra-poverty are the most scale Graduation programme in services are both aligned with the A PATH TO PROSPERITY vulnerable sub-group within them. Bangladesh, BRAC International main phases of Graduation—from Juliet and Patrick could not finish their education because their families were They make up nearly half of the has been adapting and further programme planning and design to extreme poor population. innovating on the approach in on-site training and data collection unable to bear the costs of school. When they were only 12, they had already HIGHLIGHTS several countries. - designed specifically to assist decided to get married as soon as they reached the legal marrying age, in order The challenge for them is not just too implementers to reach the most to support each other. Provided 136 members with assets little income, but they are confronted We started our programme in marginalised communities in new by a multitude of interconnected Pakistan in 2010 in collaboration regions across the globe. They found work as day labourers on nearby farms. Yet, they remained and cyclical problems. They with Pakistan Poverty Alleviation unemployed during the off seasons. Lack of technical skills and relevant work Trained community resource Fund (PPAF) in the Balochistan 32 struggle every day to cope with food opportunities brought little income and the family struggled to meet life’s most persons on health and hygiene for shortages, poor health, and a lack province where over half of the OUR IMPACT maternal and newborn children population suffers from high basic needs. of basic services like clean water and sanitation. They rarely own any seasonality of livelihoods, acute • Provided assets to 136 participants in Juliet was also worried about her relationship with Patrick. “We were constantly food insecurity, scarcity of Pakistan. Reached youths within the land or productive assets. Lack of ridiculed by the other village members for how much we lacked”, said Juliet. “It 1,650 education and productive skills limit water and poor sanitation. Our households identified in • Provided skills training to 334 was very evident that our home had little hope of a better future. I was afraid that 2,475 their capacities of a decent livelihood. Graduation programme in Pakistan Uganda participants and trained 32 community my marriage will fall apart”. Majority of ultra-poor households are addresses their vulnerabilities resource persons on health and hygiene headed by women who often live in through social mobilisation, health, for maternal and newborn children in Juliet was asked to participate in a meeting with BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation Reached 130 villages in 85 remote areas, too far from access education, livelihood enhancement Pakistan. programme team in 2016. It was due to Patrick’s pleas that Juliet agreed to communities in Luwero and of any form of social and economic through the creation of social Kiryandongo districts in Uganda safety nets and construction attend. “I didn’t want to go because I was sure the villagers would laugh and support. They are trapped in a • Reached 1,650 youths within the 2,475 and improvement of small scale abuse us, as they usually did”, recalled Juliet. detrimental cycle of intergenerational households identified in Uganda, and community infrastructures. deprivation. they have secured at least two sources To her surprise, Juliet was selected as a participant of the programme. of income. BRAC began its pilot in Uganda in She received assets and relevant training along with other interventions of the OUR APPROACH 2016, responding to the staggering • Transferred 6,226 goats, 1,107 programme. 78% of youth unemployment. We pigs, 11,600 chicken and initiated 206 BRAC’s Targeting the Ultra Poor Today, Juliet and her husband are proud owners of over ten goats from the initial use the Graduation approach petty trades to support development (TUP) programme in Bangladesh five they received, over 15 chickens and pigs and a vegetable garden. to create appropriate livelihood on household income as productive pioneered the Graduation approach, opportunities for youth population livelihood assets to the households in a globally recognised model for its Juliet is not an invisible member of the community anymore, but a proud individual through asset transfers and Uganda. innovative and holistic solution to technical skills training along and an active voice of reason. Juliet says her new feeling of empowerment and ultra-poverty. with social integration, savings • Organised capacity building trainings in confidence will help her achieve her dreams of building a ‘mabati’ house (iron promotions, and health awareness. 86 village training spots in Uganda. fabricated house), and buy a ‘boda boda’ motorcycle to begin a new business venture.

30 | Annual Report Annual Report | 31 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE HIGHLIGHTS

Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Uganda Secured USD 1.5 million on November 2017 from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to implement THE CHALLENGE culture of resilience in Myanmar, the “International Emergency Sierra Leone and Uganda. Our OUR IMPACT Preparedness Programme – Phase 2” Since 2000 till now more than 10 approach will support south- to build capacity of BRAC International million people have been affected south humanitarian alliances to • Emergency response Head Office, Myanmar, Uganda and demonstrate that systematic local by disasters in Myanmar, Sierra coordinators at country level Sierra Leone Leone and Uganda. In Myanmar, leadership development can shift power from global to local. have developed partnerships approximately 40 disasters have Responded to the August 2017 killed nearly 145,000 people, with the government, UN In partnership with the Bill & Mudslide in Freetown, Sierra Leone affected more than 4 million and Melinda Gates Foundation, we Clusters, UNOCHA and other UN caused over USD 4.5 billion in with USD 20,000 worth of are piloting a model of local agencies, NGO forums, etc. damages. In Sierra Leone, the cash, food and non-food items to the emergency preparedness and deadly 2014-16 Ebola outbreak, President’s Emergency Relief Fund, response capacities in six • We have initiated emergency and 13 other disasters have led ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE IN FREETOWN schools, six communities and six response capacity-building reaching approximately 6,000 to an estimated USD 30 million in local governments and country According to the Office of National Security (ONS) around 5,900 people had lost people. Responded to the famine in economic losses, claimed more process in BRAC International offices in Myanmar, Sierra Leone Teso Sub-Region of Eastern Uganda in than 5,000 lives and affected country offices, as well as in their homes and were crucially impacted in the flood and mudslide on August 2017, and Uganda . Our approach May 2017 more than 90,000 individuals; and they were in dire need of emergency assistance and shelter. will contribute to achievement 6 vulnerable communities, while in Uganda, approximately 50 of global humanitarian goals, 6 schools and 6 local BRAC Sierra Leone Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme disasters have killed 1,195 people Updated Country Risk Analyses, Multi- such as the Sendai Framework and affected more than 4 million governments in Myanmar, Coordinator, Sheku Alaka T. Mansaray and Edwin Jarfoi, Head of Human Hazard Risk Assessments, Disaster for Disaster Risk Reduction and lives leading to a USD 6 million in Resources, shared that as an organisation it was prudent to compliment the Preparedness Plans and Country the World Humanitarian Summit Sierra Leone and Uganda. economic losses. Disaster Profiles in five countries and commitments. efforts of the government by making donations, which not only saved lives but also • A core group of individuals showed BRAC’s commitment in Sierra Leone. produced 46 weekly situation reports People living below the poverty line drawn from national and local on security and hazards in seven are the most affected by disasters, BRAC Sierra Leone Emergency and Response team donated food items, including countries with women and children MOVING governments, INGOs, local hundred bags of rice, thirty-two cartons of vegetable oil, five hundred bundles of comprising more than 50 percent NGOs, the media and BRAC FORWARD pure drinking water, eight cartons of sugar, nine cartons of biscuits, and twelve Conducted four training courses on of the total affected. Without staff in Myanmar, Sierra bags of table salt. First Aid, and Crisis and Security Risk emphasis on resilience-building We will explore the replication Leone and Uganda are skilled of communities, local institutions Management and Simulation for 80 and scaling-up modality of our During the donation event Mr. Jarfoi pointed out that BRAC Sierra Leone operates and nations, disasters will continue capacity-building model in other in conducting Disaster Risk staff and government representatives in twelve districts across the country with thematic programmes of Inclusive to impact achievement of the communities of the targeted and Vulnerability Assessment with the support of National Red Cross Sustainable Development Goals. countries, while simultaneously (DRVA) after the Training Financing, Health, Agriculture, Empowerment of Livelihood for Adolescent, Societies in two country programmes strengthening the emergency of Trainers (ToT) in those Education, and Emergency with the aim of eradicating poverty. response capacity and resilience Former Vice President Victor Bockarie Foh commended BRAC for their timely OUR APPROACH of targeted schools, communities countries. and governments. intervention, and shared that the government secured two hundred acres of Through a participatory • Developed and disseminated land outside Freetown for the construction of houses for people affected by the community-led approach targeting 50 weekly situation updates on disaster. He further stated that modalities are in place to ensure transparency and both urban and rural settings, we are collaborating with governments natural and human-induced accountability of donation. disasters, safety and security and other stakeholders to build a ONS Human Resource Director, Mrs. May M. Kamara on behalf of her organisation issues, and notable socio- thanked BRAC for their relentless efforts and commitment not only in responding political changes in all BI to disasters but also addressing to reduce the high risk of disasters. Humanitarian countries (as of January 2018) partners provided emergency in WASH, health, food and nutrition, shelter and protection assistance to those in temporary holding centres and those in host families. Mrs. Kamara added that both the ONS and government appreciated the donations and assured the proper utilization of the right purpose. 32 | Annual Report Annual Report | 33 Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2017 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (before appropriation of result)

2017 2016 USD USD

Fixed assets Intangible fixed assets 1 297,190 235,168 Tangible fixed assets 2 3,739,525 3,227,444 Financial fixed assets 3 2,434,513 2,122,361 ______6,471,228 5,584,973

Current assets Inventories 4 516,939 382,154 Loans and advances to customers 5 110,870,639 102,323,890 Trade and other receivables 6 6,308,868 6,995,782 Cash and cash equivalents 7 59,135,889 56,811,344 ______176,832,335 166,513,170 ______

Total assets 183,303,563 172,098,143 ______Group reserves 8 Reserves 86,826,937 67,371,674 Minority interests - 989,970 ______

86,826,937 68,361,644

Non-current liabilities 9 23,667,535 12,201,347

Current liabilities 10 72,809,091 91,535,152 ______

Total liabilities and reserves 183,303,563 172,098,143 ______

Annual Report | 35 Consolidated Statement of Income and Expenses For the year ended 31 December 2017 GRANT INCOME BY COUNTRY

2017 2016 2017 2016 USD USD

Income Grant income 12 43,603,033 50,059,290 Service charge income 13 52,676,880 47,489,395 Other operating income 14 6,345,994 6,182,085 ______Total operating income 102,625,907 103,730,770

Cost of outsourced work and other external costs 15 (37,360,164) (44,466,974) Wages and salaries 16 (27,452,125) (28,667,596) Social security and pension charges 17 (1,842,465) (1,502,099) Amortisation and depreciation on intangible and tangible fixed assets 1,2 (770,489) (860,118) Impairment losses on loans and advances to customers 5 (5,317,199) (939,703) Other operating expenses 18 (3,017,244) - ______Total operating expenses (75,759,686) (80,286,656) USD’000 43,603 USD’000 50,059 ______Operating result 26,866,221 23,444,114

Interest income and similar income 1,472,526 1,349,978 Interest expenses and similar charges (5,208,054) (4,456,706) SERVICE CHARGE BY COUNTRY

(3,735,528) (3,106,728) 5% 4% 3% 3% ______11% 11% Result from ordinary activities before tax 23,130,693 20,337,386

Corporate income tax 19 (3,956,082) (6,962,575) 42% 3% ______3% Result after tax(carried forward) 19,174,611 13,374,811 2017 Brought forward 19,174,611 13,374,811 2016 TOTAL TOTAL Minority interests (148,565) (23,907) USD’000 52,677 USD’000 47,489 ______48% Net result 19,026,046 13,350,904 ______

35% 32%

36 | Annual Report Annual Report | 37 PROGRAMME EXPENSES

2016 2% 2017 1%

2016 3% 2017 2%

2016 2%

2017 3%

2016 3% 2017 3%

2016 3% 2017 3%

2016 5% 2017 6%

2016 7%

2017 9%

2016 27% 2017 21%

2016 50% 2017 54%

2016 USD’000 114,320 Total 2017 USD’000 98,030

38 | Annual Report 2018

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