News (828)
Registration begins for BRACATHON
BRACATHON, the marathon coding competition for social good returns for the second year under the slogan 'Code for Bangladesh'. Registrations have opened on 8 January 2017 and will continue until 2 February. The 36-hour long hackathon will take place from 17-18 February at BRAC University.
The competition will provide funding up to USD 5,000 along with 6-month long implementation and development support for the winners. Interested participants can register by visiting the BRACATHON website.
BRACATHON - BRAC's first ever hackathon is a platform for coders to code for social good. BRAC under its initiative to promote technology that contributes to social innovation, created the platform in 2015. Participants will compete to provide useful mobile applications to solve a particular problem. Winners will be decided based on impact, innovation, functionality and quality of the proposal. This year James P Grant School of Public Health, Plan international, biTS, bracnet and bdnews24 have joined as partners to take the competition to the next mile.
View more details here: http://bracathon.brac.net/
European Union delegates visit BRAC Liberia
On 4 November 2016, a team of European Union delegates including the Ambassador of Liberia, MsTiina Intelmann and two Estonian members of Parliament, Mati Raidma and Mart Nutt visited BRAC Liberia office at Tarbar community, Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
The delegates visited the feed mill and poultry hatchery and met several model poultry farmers. They discussed the supply and demand of poultry and pig feed, and the poultry value chain.
The team congratulated BRAC for the new project called, ‘Supporting the poor and food and nutrition insecure to react to crises and strengthen resilience in Liberia’ that started in October 2016.
The EU delegates visited a BRAC model poultry rearer, Rachael Mama Joe at her house. Joe is known in her community for her hard work and success. She bears all expenses of raising her family and sending her children to school.
BRAC team with EU delegates in a hatchery and feed mill in Liberia.
BRAC stands by fire victims of Sattala slum
Time increased for special donation campaign
Today on Monday (12 December) BRAC in a prompt move distributed relief among the victims of the fire that ravaged the Sattala slum at Mohakhali in the Dhaka city in the early hours today. A total of 115 families each received a blanket, a bar of soap, a sweater, two cooking and frying pots, spoons, two plates and a jar of water from BRAC staff in afternoon. Also identity cards were provided to these families which may help them receive relief assistance in future.
A meeting in this regard was also organised on the local IPH School and College premises today in which 30 NGOs participated. Facilitated by BRAC URBAN Development Programme, the participants reached a decision to strengthen the coordination of the relief and assistance activities for the Sattala slum victims.
On the other hand, BRAC has increased its time of the campaign for donations for the fire victims of Korail slum in Mohakhali. The campaign that began on December 7 will now end on December 17 (Saturday), instead of December 14, as previously announced. Under the new arrangement of the campaign, a portion of the donations received through campaign will be directed at the victims of Sattala slum. For this an additional amount of Tk 26 lakh will be needed.
Under the special donation campaign BRAC hopes to collect one crore 23 lakh and 75 thousand taka. The United Nations Development Programme has already donated Tk 65 lakh to BRAC from its own fund. The rest we expect to collect through other organisations and individuals. The fund will be distributed to 495 families who are major victims of the Korail slum fire. Each of these families will receive Tk 25 thousand if the fund can be raised as expected.
Interested organisations and individuals can send donation through bank account and bkash with details below.
Account name: BRAC, BRAC Centre, 75 Mohakhali
Bank name: BRAC Bank
Account number: 150120-2316474001
Bkash number: 01730321765 (instruction)
You are also requested to visit site for further details: response.brac.net
7 day donation drive for Korail starts today
2000 people are homeless after Dhaka’s biggest slum caught fire on Sunday, 4 December. 495 households were destroyed in less than two hours.
BRAC has started a donation drive to raise BDT12,375,000 (BDT25,000 per family) for helping them to rebuild their lives. UNDP has contributed BDT 65, 000, 00 from their emergency fund. The remaining BDT 5,875,000 needs to be raised.
BRAC is working with Dhaka North City Corporation and various NGOs and community organisations in Korail in this effort.
225 children and eight pregnant mothers no longer have a place to sleep. Winter has just started, and the people who lost their homes in the fire have lost everything.
Interested people can donate directly to BRAC via a BRAC bank account,
Account name: BRAC, BRAC Centre, 75 Mohakhali
Account number: 150120-2316474001
Or Bkash number: 01730321765 (instruction).
BRAC has been supporting families since the fire started. BRAC staff were on the ground during the fire, shepherding children and young people through the chaos into a safe space nearby. The space was kept open, with food and water provided until everyone was connected to their families in the evening. Two pregnant mothers were evacuated.
In the two days following the fire, utensils and cookware, 500 blankets and hygiene soaps were distributed. Sir John Wilson School’s donated 758 pieces of clothing. Eight pregnant mothers received BDT 1,000 each in cash and will continue to receive free maternal health care for the next one month. BRAC will continue to provide treatment through a temporary medical camp.
To find more updates about the donation drive please visit: http://response.brac.net
Winner of 2016 Financial Reporting Awards
BRAC Uganda has been recognised for its excellent performance in financial reporting. We received the award in the NGO category at the 2016 Financial Reporting (FiRe) Awards, which took place on 10 November 2016 at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
We have been recognised every year since the awards were launched in 2011. This year, we competed against 20 other NGOs. The awards also recognise entrants from various industries including financial institutions, consumer and industrial products, education institutions, insurance services, the public sector and regulatory bodies and associations.
(Left to right) BRAC Uganda finance manager, Ronald Kasozire, accounts manager, Sachindra Ghosh, chief finance officer, Richard Kigozi and country representative, Bhuiyan Imran from BRAC received the award.
As one of the largest development organisations in the country, serving over four million people and employing over 2,400 Ugandans, we are engaged in poverty alleviation initiatives that include, but are not limited to, microfinance and small enterprise development, community healthcare and nutrition, agriculture and seed distribution, education and youth empowerment and livelihood programmes. We have established reporting systems to ensure transparency and enable successful implementation of our multi-sectoral programmes. These also ensure that we adhere to international financial reporting standards. It encourages more organisations to embrace quality financial reporting to improve their operations and comply with application financial reporting frameworks.
The FiRe Awards aims to promote financial reporting in compliance with international standards set out by the International Accounting Standards Board. It is organised by the Council of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda, Uganda Securities Exchange and the Capital Markets Authority.
Calls for Innovations to reinvent our Cities
BRAC launches Urban Innovation Challenge 2016
BRAC launched a competition today to find solutions to the growing challenges faced by people living in cities across Bangladesh. The Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Mr Annisul Huq, launched the Urban Innovation Challenge at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre. The Mayor hailed the initiative as a major milestone in Bangladesh’s progress in urban development, saying “Compared to other countries, Dhaka is more densely populated. 140000 people live per square kilometer. We are struggling to find a better solution for managing the street hawkers and transport problem of the city. So I would urge the urban innovators of our country to come up with innovative and inclusive solutions for these. Mayor’s office will be happy to take those ideas.”
Urbanisation in Bangladesh has accelerated rapidly in the past few decades. This is having drastically negative effects on health, transport and employment. Dhaka is the 9th most densely populated city in the world, and around1100 migrants arrive in the city every day.
BRAC has initiated the year-long challenge to create a platform to work with innovators, young entrepreneurs and university students to improve life in cities across the country. The goal is to find the best ideas in Bangladesh and support innovators to build them into sustainable social enterprise models. The challenge will focus on three specific problem areas: health, transportation and informal sector employment.
Potential challengers must submit their applications by November 30. Shortlisted applicants will then be asked to submit full proposals, and a high-profile jury will select 4-5 winners. Winners will build their prototypes and test them in the field with BRAC from April- August 2017. They will receive mentoring, skills development and support, as well as a grant amount up to BDT 5 lac and linkage to potential investors.
Executive Chairman of PPRC Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman praised the initiative at the panel discussion, saying, “The solutions have to be specific from the user’s perspective. But at the same time it has to be comprehensive keeping both the megacity and the towns in mind.”
The panel also included Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, founder and chairperson of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro. He said, “Dhaka is a city of immense possibilities. We need to think about our cities by ourselves. Our youth have possibilities, talent and ideas, we can guide them making those into reality.”
Young entrepreneurs speaking at the event included the founder of 10 Minute School, Ayman Sadiq, and founder of Identity Inclusion, Shamsin Ahmed, who spoke on entrepreneurship in a session titled “Udbhaboner Golpo.”
Partnering for the Urban Innovation Challenge are Shout-Daily Star for youth engagement, Radio Shadhin for radio engagement, Beatnik for digital engagement and IDEO.ORG for knowledge management.
This initiative is a part of BRAC’s newly launched urban development programme which focuses on improved service delivery, mobilisation and governance.
Australia, BRAC and UK reiterates their commitment to work with the Government of Bangladesh in ending child marriage
As the world celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October, BRAC, Australia, and the UK reiterated their commitment to investing in girls’ empowerment and working with the Government of Bangladesh to end child marriage. This joint statement is released as part of the activities undertaken by the partners with the Government of Bangladesh.
In issuing the statement, BRAC’s Executive Director, Dr Muhammad Musa said, “Every day, BRAC helps girls in Bangladesh reach their full potential through a comprehensive approach which includes creating economic, health-related, educational and leadership opportunities. After over 40 years of experience in advancing women and girls’ rights, we are determined now more than ever, to ensure that no girl is born into a community where she isn’t given the chance to learn and become a leader.”
Jane Edmondson, Country Representative for the UK’s Department for International Development Bangladesh said: “Children need learning and play in a safe environment to reach their potential. Too many girls and boys still miss out. And for some girls, harmful practices in society such as child and forced marriage and domestic violence make it doubly hard. Girls are less likely to finish school and less likely to find work. Changing all this is essential to reducing poverty in Bangladesh and to achieving sustainable economic growth”.
“Helping young women and girls to reach their full potential is critical to Bangladesh achieving its economic and social goals”, added Australian High Commissioner, Julia Niblett. “This is why Australia, together with the UK, is proud to support BRAC’s efforts to empower girls, supporting them to achieve their full potential”.
With the support of Australia and the UK, BRAC’s social and economic development programmes empower adolescent girls through the largest network of adolescent development clubs in Bangladesh. Girls who have been members of these clubs are more likely to be involved in income-generating activities and avoid early marriages, than girls who did not join the clubs.
In Bangladesh, considerable progress has been made in improving the lives of adolescent girls over the last 15 years. More girls than ever are enrolling in schools and access to health care has improved. But while 69 per cent of girls enrol in secondary education, almost one in two drop-out before completing their schooling. This is linked to the continued prevalence of child marriage. Though the proportion of girls marrying in their teens has been declining for 10 years or so, the country still suffers from one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world with over half of women currently between the age of 20-24 having married before their 18th birthday; and almost one in five having married before their 15th birthday.
Coordinated and focussed efforts are being taken from both the government and civil society groups to fight what has been termed as one of the most critical barriers to large scale development efforts. The government’s present commitment to reform the 1929 Child Marriage Restraint Act and set the minimum age of marriage at 18 is an important development in line with other international and national laws and policies protecting the rights of children. Similarly, the initiation of drafting a National Plan of Action to End Child Marriage demonstrates that along with its neighbours with similar socio-cultural contexts, such as Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh too is moving ahead on its child rights and gender equality agenda.
Australia, BRAC and the UK are focussed on continuing their work together to address these issues through effective programmes and also developing new programmes that address emerging social problems related to child marriage.
Adolescent girls are one of the most powerful agents for change in the world. Educated adolescent girls are able to fight child marriage, protect themselves from teenage pregnancy and build healthier futures for themselves.
BRAC Manthan Digital Innovation award announces 14 winners
BRAC Manthan digital Innovation award announced 14 winners for 2016 on 8 October,at the Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden. The award was given to promote and recognise the contributions of individuals and organisations in the field of ICT for development.
The programme started with a fair exhibiting the innovations of 29 finalists. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister, Minister of State for Information and Communication, Technology (ICT) attended the event as chief guest. Appreciating this initiative he said, “Current internet user in our country is 60 million and this is increasing by 10 million per year. With the increase of internet users, interest of youth in technology is also amplifying. This award will certainly inspire the youth to innovate in technology. The government is ready to cooperate in taking this initiative forward. “
BRAC launched this award, an off-shoot of the Manthan Awards in India, on 10 April in partnership with Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF). The winners from Bangladesh will get direct entry to the final round of prestigious Manthan Award South Asia 2016.
The nine categories of the competition are: e-business and financial inclusion, e-education, learning and employment, e-agriculture and ecology, e-governance and institutions, e-health, e-women, inclusion and empowerment, e-news, journalism and entertainment, e-culture, heritage and tourism, and m-content.
BRAC received more than 100 nominations from all over the country, across different sectors. Based on 90 applications went for the jury evaluation process. A jury of 10 eminent experts assessed them on the quality of their content, impact of the solution, functionality of the product/service and benefits to people. 29 were selected for the final phase.
Notable jury board members included Anir Chowdhury, policy advisor, Prime Minister’s office, Luna Shamsuddoha, Chairman, Dohatec New Media, Munir Hasan
Coordinator, Youth Programme -Prothom Alo, KAM Morshed, Director, ICT and Advocacy, BRAC etc.
Present at the award ceremony, founder and director of Digital Empowerment Foundation Osama Manzar said, “Internet and technology are the connecting tools now, if we dont use these we will become the consumers of someone else. So Bangladesh should plan for the next 100 years not 100 days and try to build the network combining internet and technology”. Executive director of BRAC Dr Muhammad Musa, representatives from development agencies, government and corporate sector also attended the programme.
Prothom Alo supported this initiative as the associate partner. Also on board were Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom as exhibition partner, Webable as digital media partner and Channel 24 as TV media partner.
Winners list
Category: E-AGRICULTURE AND ECOLOGY
Department of Agriculture Extension project name is
KRISHOKER JANALA-APNAR FOSHOLER SOMOSSAR SOMADHAN EKHANEI
Category: E-EDUCATION, LEARNING & EMPLOYMENT
Repto education Center
10 MINUTE SCHOOL
Youth Opportunities.
Category: E-BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION
Humac Lab Limited and their project name is SELLISCOPE
Cloud Solution Limited and their project name is CSL MOBILE ACCOUNTS
Category: E-CULTURE, HERITAGE AND TOURISM
Vromon
Dhaka Electronica Scene/Akaliko Records their project name is TRANSLATIONS – AN ELECTRONIC MUSIC COMPILATION BY AKALIKO RECORDS.
Category: E-NEWS, JOURNALISM AND ENTERTAINMENT
Software Shop Limited (SSL Wireless) their project name is e-Tunes
PAVILION and their project name is PAVILION.
Category: E-GOVERNANCE & INSTITUTIONS
EnamelBD and their project name is VAT CHECKER
Mathiura Union Parishad and their project name is Mathiura Union Parishad Digitalization Project.
Category: E-HEALTH
Rx71 Limited and their project name is RX71
Department of Biomedical and their project name is Dhaka University Telemedicine Programme – rural healthcare using indigenously developed technology.
Special mention and runners up
Category: E-AGRICULTURE AND ECOLOGY
Special mentions
Grameen Intel Social Business Ltd and their project name is MRITTIKĀ
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and their project name is BARI Application.
Runner up
Training in a Tab
Category: E-EDUCATION, LEARNING & EMPLOYMENT
Special mention
Durbin Labs and their project name is Durbin App
Clickntech.com and their project name is e-learning door to door
Category: E-BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION
Runners up
eSheba Organization a company of Curtex Group and their project name is eSheba.
Category: E-CULTURE, HERITAGE AND TOURISM
Runners Up
KOTHOWAIN and their project name is Marginalized and Ethnic Children and Youth Development and Empowerment Project.
Category: E-NEWS, JOURNALISM AND ENTERTAINMENT
Special Mention
QUIZARDS.
Runners up
The Dhaka Times
Roots Journalism
Category: E-WOMEN, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT
Special Mention
Women in digital Bangladesh.
Runners up
Concern Universal and their project name is People Centered Interactive Risk & Livelihood Information Gateway
Preneur Lab - Public Toilet App and their project name is Public Toilet App – Find public toilets.
Category: E-HEALTH
Runner up
Windmill Infotech Limited and their project name is babytika
Juror’s Mention for Innovation
From the category E-EDUCATION, LEARNING & EMPLOYMENT, Life2coding and their project name is LAPTOUCH: CONVERT ANY COMPUTER SCREEN INTO TOUCH SCREEN
BRAC awarded as the international charity of the year
BRAC was ranked the top International Charity of the Year for 2016 by the Charity Times Awards on 28 September. The award is organised by Charity Times Magazine, a trade publication for the UK non-profit sector. Lewis Temple, CEO of BRAC UK, received the award on behalf of BRAC.
The award highlighted BRAC’s history of designing and implementing solutions at scale, particularly the ultra poor graduation approach, which helps the poorest graduate out of poverty.
The award now in its 17th year was held in London. The event works to shine a celebratory light on the sector, raise standards and offer ongoing professional development to the thousands engaged in charitable work in the UK. BRAC was pleased to share the short list for International Charity with six outstanding organisations, including Hospices of Hope, Send a Cow, Shivia, United World Schools, Vision for a Nation Foundation and Y Care International.
Charity Times is a leading business and management magazine for UK non-profit professionals. It offers a wide range of in-depth, independently-written features and news analysis. Each year, the Charity Times Awards work to honour the outstanding professionals in the varied fields of charity management; recognise, celebrate, and promote best practice; support continuing professional development; contribute to raising the standards of charity management; promote and raise the profile of the charity sector; and provide recognition for those who are providing effective support to the sector.
To know more about the awards, please visit: http://www.charitytimes.com/awards/index.php
BRAC mourns the tragic death of its official in Uganda
It is with great regret that we inform that Mr Md Mainuddin Ahmed (44), Senior Area Manager, Small Enterprise Programme (SEP), BRAC Uganda was killed on 27 September, 2016 by unidentified miscreants. The Uganda police post-mortem report confirmed that he died due to strangulation.
Mr Mainuddin and our service staff Mr James Aworu were found unresponsive in the area office in Lira town on 27th morning. They were immediately taken to the Lira Regional Referral Hospital where the doctors declared Mr Mainuddin deceased.
Mr Aworu was admitted in critical condition and is now out of danger.
Mr Mainuddin’s laptop and phone were missing from the office. Uganda Police has commenced the investigation, but no arrests have so far been made.
BRAC Uganda office is coordinating with the Uganda government and Bangladesh consular office in carrying out all necessary official procedures involving the incident.
BRAC has informed Mr Mainuddin’s family in Bangladesh, confirming that the BRAC family stands beside them in this hour of terrible loss. He served the BRAC Microfinance programme for 18 years. Among his dearly loved ones, Mainuddin leaves behind his wife and two sons. His permanent residence is Kollyanpur, Dhaka.
BRAC started its operations in Uganda in 2006. It has around 2400 staff, of which 98 per cent is local staff members, making it the largest NGO in Uganda. To date BRAC has served 4.4 million people, which is almost 12 per cent of Uganda’s population. To know more about BRAC Uganda please click here.
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