Trick or Treat?!

I must admit there are many things about Halloween that I don’t understand; the trick-or-treating, costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns... the list is endless. The only part I fully relate to is the candy –I’ve always had a sweet tooth.

We all love this time of year. First is Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and best of all Christmas! And don't forget New Year's too. But this Halloween is even more interesting because of the Presidential Elections and scarier because the stock market and the economy are turning out more frightful than any costume, decoration or horror movie.

But today, as I join my colleagues in celebration —Bettie Page clearly takes the prize— I’m reminded of the women and children whom we work for; the children whose treat is the chance to go to school. Today, I feel lucky and I will take time to count my blessings. Happy Halloween everyone!

-Lasoi

Climate Change - Does Anybody Care if Bangladesh Drowns?

BRAC's former Director of Advocacy and Human Rights, Afsan Chowdhury, directed a documentary about Cyclone Sidr's effects on Bangladesh and what climate change holds in store for the country. Below he discusses the film on The Real News:

BRAC pledges to provide better farming inputs in Tanzania

BRAC Tanzania's agricultural program manager was recently featured in an article in the Tanzanian newspaper, The Citizen. Below is an excerpt from the article:

A non-governmental organization called Building Resources Across Communities (BRAC Tanzania) has pledged to help farmers get better yields by providing better farming inputs and giving them better quality seeds.

Its manager, Mr Mohamed Taslim, told a six-day seminar at Buhuri Livestock Centre recently that the use of quality seeds and other new farming technologies, could increase the yields. ...

He called on farmers to utilize a cheap technology dispensed by BRAC to combat hunger and poverty in the country.

He said the use of quality seeds and improved farming inputs could change the life style of farmers.

He said a hunger-stricken country cannot prosper without developing agriculture, including livestock keeping.

He said, if practiced in accordance with modern methods, farming could transform the country from being dependent on imported food to a self-sufficient food producing country.

Mr Taslim, a Bangladesh national, said BRAC has all the potential at its disposal and was ready to deliver services once the recipients initiate development projects.

Click here to read the full article.

Call for Papers: Climate Change and Urban Poverty - Infrastructures of Development

BRAC University and University of Manchester are convening An international conference on Climate Change and Urban Poverty - Infrastructures of Development to be held at BRAC Centre Auditorium, Dhaka, Bangladesh on 28 January 2009.

There is now widespread agreement that global warming is taking place, and that the lives of the poor will be, and already are, negatively affected. Knowledge about the processes that will drive change, and the policies that would help poor people adapt to these changes, remains limited. This is particularly the case for the urban poor who, over the course of the next 25 years, will become the majority of the world’s poor people. In this context, the identification of best practice in how cities are designed, built, managed and occupied will be a key factor in shaping the well-being of the poor.

Deadline for abstract submission is 15 November 2008.

Click here for more information about the conference and the call for papers.

Together as One!

Last weekend, the BRAC senior staff members from around Africa, together with their colleagues from Bangladesh and the US, were gathered for a high-level planning meeting at Kampala. BRAC began working in Africa starting in 2006, and currently operates in five countries – Uganda, Tanzania, Southern Sudan, Sierra Leone and Liberia. As two continuous days of intense meetings were coming to an end, everyone was feeling lighter and gathered outside to enjoy the pleasant Kampala weather.

Susan Davis, the President & CEO of BRAC USA, wanted everyone to share and celebrate this momentous occasion. She motivated the staff who were gathered to unleash their hidden musical talents(who knew that our experienced managers had such amazing voices!). We first heard wonderful Bengali tunes, then a few African tunes and then even some incredible dance moves.  The mood was turning festive, and everyone in the building from the service staff to the senior managers quickly joined the celebration.  

It was an inspiring occasion, especially when one of the staff started singing “Together as One”, a song written in tribute of Matin Luther King. There we were, gathered outside the BRAC Uganda country office, a team of Bangladeshis, Africans, Americans, all coming together as BRAC, coming together as one!

BRAC wins 2008 Hilton Humanitarian Prize

click here for the 2008 Hilton Humanitarian Symposium and prize ceremony webcast- October 20, 2008.

BRAC USA Mourns the Loss of the Chair of our Board Dr. Allan Rosenfield

We regret to announce the passing of Dr. Allan Rosenfield, Chair of BRAC USA and the former dean of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Allan was an icon in the world of public health, one of the most outspoken advocates for women’s health rights and an ardent supporter of BRAC. We are grateful for his unbending dedication to BRAC over the years and particularly to the amount of time and energy he gave to launching BRAC USA, in spite of his deteriorating health.

Click here to read the full announcement.

Click here to visit a special tribute site to Allan Rosenfield set up by the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

BRAC and Computer Aided Learning

An article today in The New Nation discussed BRAC's use of computer aided learning to improve the quality of education for post-primary school children in Bangladesh.

The learning software's aim is to support teachers, who can have classes of 60-100 students, in teaching basic subjects, including math, science and English.

Currently, BRAC is providing support to 575 secondary schools, reaching 143,750 students.

Click here to read the article.

A change of hearth: BRAC featured in Gulf News

Gulf News recently ran a feature on BRAC's work addressing the food crisis and alleviating poverty in Bangladesh. Below is an excerpt from the article:

The fate of more than 80 per cent of Bangladesh’s 145 million people — deprived of proper education, sanitation and healthcare facilities and other basic needs — is also gradually changing for the better.

Over the years, the rural poor have remained left out of any plan for development.

They were, in fact, left to the mercy of God and a handful of non-government organisations.

One of these, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), which is the world’s largest in terms of reach, has been training Bangladesh’s rural poor on education, sanitation, nutrition and healthcare since its inception in 1972, right after the independence of Bangladesh.

Click here to read the full article.