BRAC Bangladesh: empowering people & reducing poverty

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BRAC was founded in Bangladesh in 1972 and over the course of our evolution, we have established ourselves as a pioneer in recognising and tackling the many different realities of poverty. We have learned over time to find the poorest of the poor - those who are destitute and outside the reach of most NGOs - and help them rebuild their lives from scratch and achieve financial independence. BRAC is a development organisation dedicated to alleviating poverty by empowering the poor to bring about change in their own lives.

Our mission is to empower people and communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice. Our interventions aim to achieve large scale, positive changes through economic and social programmes that enable men and women to realise their potential. A world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination where everyone has the opportunity to realise their potential.

BRAC works to combat poverty in 70,000 villages and 2,000 slums, reaching three quarters of the entire population with an integrated package of services for rural and urban communities. We employ more than 100,000 people - microfinance officers, teachers, health staff and enterprise managers - to be on the very doorstep of the poorest families, making our services accessible, relevant and adaptable. 