20 July 2010, Dhaka. Alan Duncan, UK Minister for International Development, spent the morning in Manikganj visiting BRAC programmes on education, health, microfinance and extreme poverty alleviation, many of which receive funding from the UK government.
At a BRAC pre-primary school in Gilondo village, the minister took part in various learning games with the children and was particularly impressed by the school’s interactive teaching methods.
Whilst visiting the home of Modhumala, a BRAC microfinance client in Uchutia village, he observed a weekly microfinance group meeting on her courtyard and spoke to several members of BRAC’s ultra poor programme. He was especially moved by the significant improvements Modhumala was able to bring to her life through various enterprises she started with microloans, citing this as a perfect example of the benefit of giving a helping hand instead of a hand out.
“...going around with BRAC was very instructive and very useful, they’re doing some great things. A few minutes ago, I was with some of the ultra poor where the programme is to give them a grant of a cow or chicken to begin a life which has some kind of livelihood behind it. It’s from these little beginnings that development has to start, and that’s what I’m seeing in practice today.”
Later on, he joined a community health forum and participated in an eye examination for reading glasses conducted by a BRAC health volunteer. His final stopover was at an ante-natal clinic for expecting mothers where he observed various health examinations designed to identify pregnancy-related complications.
The Minister was accompanied by Acting British High Commissioner Duncan Norman, Head of Department for International Development (DFID), Bangladesh, Chris Austin, BRAC Executive Director Mahabub Hussain as well as other senior officials from BRAC and DFID Bangladesh.
At a BRAC pre-primary school in Gilondo village, the minister took part in various learning games with the children and was particularly impressed by the school’s interactive teaching methods.
Whilst visiting the home of Modhumala, a BRAC microfinance client in Uchutia village, he observed a weekly microfinance group meeting on her courtyard and spoke to several members of BRAC’s ultra poor programme. He was especially moved by the significant improvements Modhumala was able to bring to her life through various enterprises she started with microloans, citing this as a perfect example of the benefit of giving a helping hand instead of a hand out.
“...going around with BRAC was very instructive and very useful, they’re doing some great things. A few minutes ago, I was with some of the ultra poor where the programme is to give them a grant of a cow or chicken to begin a life which has some kind of livelihood behind it. It’s from these little beginnings that development has to start, and that’s what I’m seeing in practice today.”
Later on, he joined a community health forum and participated in an eye examination for reading glasses conducted by a BRAC health volunteer. His final stopover was at an ante-natal clinic for expecting mothers where he observed various health examinations designed to identify pregnancy-related complications.
The Minister was accompanied by Acting British High Commissioner Duncan Norman, Head of Department for International Development (DFID), Bangladesh, Chris Austin, BRAC Executive Director Mahabub Hussain as well as other senior officials from BRAC and DFID Bangladesh.
