Impact and Reach of BRAC’s Graduation Approach

In 2002, BRAC pioneered the Ultra-Poor Graduation (Graduation) approach in Bangladesh, the first holistic intervention to enable people to lift themselves from extreme poverty, after recognizing that existing poverty alleviation programs were not reaching the people who were poorest. Through the provision of livelihood assets, cash transfers, and continued mentoring and training, the Graduation approach addresses participants’ multidimensional needs within the local context and empowers people in the deepest forms of poverty to transition to greater self-sufficiency, autonomy, and dignity.