Dhaka, Bangladesh · Established 1972
BRAC
Creating opportunities for the world's poor.
(About)
One of the largest NGOs in the world, pioneering microfinance and community health.
BRAC was founded in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in a remote north-eastern district of newly independent Bangladesh, initially as a small relief effort for refugees returning from India after the liberation war. It quickly became clear that emergency relief alone would not lift people out of extreme poverty, and BRAC pivoted to building the long-term programmes — in health, education, microfinance and enterprise — for which it is now known.
BRAC is one of the largest non-governmental organisations in the world. It operates through BRAC Bangladesh in its country of origin and through BRAC International, registered in the Netherlands, in more than a dozen other countries in Asia and Africa, and it runs BRAC Bank and BRAC University alongside its programme work.
The organisation's Ultra-Poor Graduation programme — a two-year package of asset transfer, coaching, savings and health support for households in extreme poverty — has been evaluated in randomised trials in seven countries and is one of the most rigorously studied poverty interventions of the past twenty years.
(Verified profile)
What the record actually says.
Sourced from official reports & independent registers
Structure & mandate
One of the world's largest NGOs, founded 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in Bangladesh. Operates through BRAC Bangladesh and BRAC International (registered in the Netherlands). Runs BRAC Bank and BRAC University alongside programme work.
Key public programmes
- ▸Ultra-Poor Graduation programme — evidence-based multi-component poverty exit
- ▸Community health workers (Shasthya Shebika) reaching millions of households
- ▸Microfinance, education and legal empowerment programmes
Founded
1972
HQ
Dhaka
Bangladesh
Countries of work
10+
Primary sources
Independent registers
(Public perception & reviews)
What people actually say.
AI-synthesized from watchdogs, press & donor reviews
The Reach Out Score is generated by our AI based on public-domain signals (watchdog ratings, transparency, program-vs-overhead, controversies). It's a starting point — always verify against the primary sources above.
(Work in the field)
Photos of their work.
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons
(Where we operate)
Active in 10 countries.
- Bangladesh
- Uganda
- Tanzania
- Kenya
- Rwanda
- Sierra Leone
- Liberia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Afghanistan
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