Expanding Graduation to Reach More in Extreme Poverty

Developed in the early 2000s, the Graduation approach was born out of learning from BRAC’s long period of program implementation that preceded it. BRAC has continuously evolved the Graduation approach since first starting the Ultra-Poor Graduation (UPG) program in Bangladesh in 2002, and it has now been adapted and expanded by BRAC and other organizations … Continued

How to Get on Track to Eradicate Extreme Poverty – IPS News

By Gregory Chen, Managing Director | BRAC Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative This piece originally appeared on Inter Press Service News on October 10, 2022. Read it here. WASHINGTON DC, Oct 10 2022 (IPS) – As we approach 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals look harder than ever to achieve. Shocks to the global economy caused by climate change, … Continued

Fighting Poverty with Hope: Lessons from the Life of Fazle Hasan Abed – Brookings

By Scott MacMillan, Director of Learning and Innovation | BRAC USA This piece was originally published on The Brookings Institution’s Future Development blog on September 12, 2022. Read it here. What would Abed say? I often find myself asking this question these days, having authored a new biography of the late founder of BRAC, “Hope … Continued

Door of Hope (Bab Amal): Adapting the Graduation Approach in Upper Egypt

In July 2018, the Bab Amal Graduation program was launched with the objective of reducing extreme poverty in Upper Egypt. Together with the Sawiris Foundation, J-PAL, the Egyptian Human Development Association (EHDA), and Giving Without Limits Association (GWLA), the pilot targets approximately 2,400 rural, extreme poor households in the Assiut and Sohag governorates. BRAC UPGI … Continued

Lessons in Development from the Global South: 50 Years of BRAC

This virtual event took place on July 14, 2022, and was hosted by BRAC, the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN, and the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the UN on the sidelines of the 2022 UN High-Level Political Forum. This webinar reflects on BRAC’s role in generating development lessons in the Global South … Continued

What’s the best way to help extremely poor people? After 20 years, the evidence is in. – Vox

By Sigal Samuel, Senior Reporter | Vox Future Perfect This article originally appeared in Vox on June 24, 2022. Read it here. If you want to fight poverty, you probably intuitively feel that the worst-off people are the ones who should be prioritized. As difficult as it is to live on a few bucks a … Continued

These experiments could lift millions out of dire poverty – Nature

By Jeff Tollefson This article originally appeared in Nature on June 22, 2022. Read it here. In 2012, the government of Niger began giving some of its poorest citizens free money. Over the next few years, around 100,000 participating households received 24 monthly payments of roughly US$16 — which more than doubled their typical spending … Continued

Why multifaceted approaches are critical for eradicating extreme poverty long term – socialprotection.org

By Courtney Calardo, Head of Communications and Max Gollin, Deputy Manager of Communications | BRAC Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative This piece was originally published on socialprotection.org on June 22nd, 2022. Read it here. Two recently released studies highlight the importance of taking a multifaceted approach when combating extreme poverty. In both, the researchers provide insight into … Continued

Disability Inclusion Lifts Rural Ugandan Families From Poverty – IPS News

By Wambi Michael, Journalist | Inter Press Service This article originally appeared in Inter Press Service News Agency on June 14, 2022. Read it here. Oyam & Gulu, Uganda , Jun 14 2022 (IPS) – Lawrence Akena was born 32 years ago with microcephaly. Because of his neurological condition, he didn’t go to school or … Continued

Clearing Pathways to Prosperity With a Livelihood Building Program in Kenya – BOMA

Michael Carter (University of California, Davis); Geyi Zheng (University of California, Davis; Nathan Jensen (International Livestock Research Institute), April 2022 Abstract: Livelihood-building programs combine training and assets for rural households with the least means to build a sustainable and independent income. Since 2018, we have been evaluating such a program in Samburu, Kenya among women … Continued