BRAC INTERNATIONAL

MICROFINANCE
Following decades of experience and insight in delivering financial services to populations
living in poverty in Bangladesh, BRAC first expanded its microfinance operations OUR IMPACT
internationally in 2002 and now operates in six countries in Asia and Africa.

The mission of BRAC International Microfinance is to provide a range of financial 96% of clients said their
services responsibly to people at the bottom of the pyramid. We particularly focus on quality of life had improved
women living in poverty in rural and hard-to-reach areas, to create self employment
opportunities, build financial resilience, and harness women’s entrepreneurial spirit
to some extent
by empowering them economically.
83% of clients used
We provide inclusive financial services in a way that is accessible and convenient, and tailored savings to pay for an
to the local needs of our clients. Our core credit offerings include a collateral-free, group- emergency expense,
based microloan provided exclusively to women, and small enterprise loans for entrepreneurs
seeking to grow their businesses. Across all our endeavorous, we adhere to the Universal compared with only 44%
Standards for Social Performance Management and the Client Protection Principles. before working with BRAC
BRAC believes that sustainable poverty reduction must unite both economic and social 91% of clients reported
development. Since we started microfinance activities in Bangladesh in 1974, microfinance
their ability to save more has
has been an integral part of BRAC’s holistic approach to development, equipping people
who would otherwise be excluded from formal financial systems with the tools to invest in increased
themselves, their families, and their communities.
96% of clients earned more
OUR APPROACH 69% of clients contributed
Distinctive, localised and rooted in BRAC’s integrated programmes to family decisions more
frequently

Socially driven
Inclusive
Empowering women
83% of clients reported that
financial services they could not easily access a
We deliver financial services We offer inclusive, We primarily focus on
in a way that is transparent, accessible, and convenient women enabling them to
good alternative to BRAC
fair and safe. loan and savings products become financially resilient
tailored to the needs of the and improve the quality of life
local community. of their families. *Highlights from 2019 Baseline Impact
Assessment. Conducted by 60
Decibels using Lean Data surveys with
the support of Global Partnerships.
Rwanda was excluded as it was a
Digital Innovation Holistic approach new operation launched in 2019. All
We aspire to be at the Our microfinance services the respondents were women.
forefront of financial complement our social
technology, focusing on development programmes **Quality of Life, Financial Resilience,
digitising field operations and amplifying our mission. Women’s Economic Empowerment,
adopting alternative delivery Self-Employment & Livelihood
channels. Opportunities, and Household Welfare
are BI MF’s five social outcome focus
areas.
ABOUT BRAC AND WHERE WE WORK
BRAC INTERNATIONAL Each microfinance company of BRAC International Microfinance is registered as a separate
BRAC is an international legal entity and is uniquely positioned to serve their markets. Although initially offering only credit
development organisation products, we are now deposit taking entities in three countries - Uganda, Rwanda and Myanmar.
that works with people
and communities to realise
their potential through an
integrated model of social
development, humanitarian
response and social
enterprises. BRAC was
founded in Bangladesh in
1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan
Abed, and now operates
in 11 countries across Asia
and Africa.

Stichting BRAC International

was formed in 2009 as a
non-profit foundation in
the Netherlands. BRAC
International Holdings B.V.
(BIHBV) was set up in Sierra Leone Liberia Uganda Tanzania Rwanda Myanmar
2010 as a private limited BRAC BRAC Liberia BRAC Uganda BRAC Tanzania BRAC Rwanda BRAC Myanmar
Microfinance Microfinance Bank Ltd (BUBL) Finance Limited Microfinance Microfinance
liability company and is a
Sierra Leone Company Limited Launched: 2006 (BTFL) Company PLC Company Limited
wholly-owned subsidiary Limited (BMSLL) (BLMCL) Branches: 162 Launched: 2006 (BRMCP) (BMMCL)
of Stichting BRAC Launched: 2008 Launched: 2008 Products: Branches: 151 Launched: 2019 Launched: 2013
International. BIHBV is a Branches: 38 Branches: 30 • MF Products: Branches: 20 Branches: 85
socially responsible for-profit Products: Products: • SEP • MF Products: Products:
organisation. The core • MF • MF • Savings • SEP • MF • MF
focus of BIHBV is to provide • SEP • SEP products • AGR • SEP • SEP
microfinance services to • Jobholder loans • Jobholder loans • Voluntary savings • WME
people living in poverty who • AGR
are unbanked and unserved • PWD
by mainstream financial • Voluntary savings
institutions.
AGR: Agriculture loans for smallholder farmers SEP: Small enterprise loans
MF: Microfinance group loans for women WME: Microenterprise loans for women
PWD: Inclusive financing for persons with disabilities

OUR REACH

96%
clients are women

654,845
borrowers

471,886
savers
A SPIRITED ENTREPRENEUR
57%
outreach to people living Kadiatu Conteh is a 46-year-old entrepreneur from Freetown, Sierra Leone. She started her
business with only one crate of soft drinks and a cooler.
in rural areas

71% Kadiatu was 20 years old when she got married. Her husband worked in a construction firm
and was the sole earner of the family. But he became unable to work a few years ago due to
outreach to people living old age.

in poverty “My sister introduced me to BRAC’s Microfinance programme. After receiving my first loan,
I bought more crates of drinks and invested the profit to expand my business. I now have a
USD 1.71 billion shop where I sell drinks and other household items”, said Kadiatu. She has been with BRAC
for four years and used her recent loan to buy a second freezer for her shop.
disbursed in loans since
inception Kadiatu is now able to support her children’s education. “I did not have the opportunity to get
a formal education because my parents did not know the value of education for girls and could
*As at December 2020 not afford it”, said Kadiatu. “But two of my children are now a step away from university and
my eldest son is learning a trade. I am happy that I could provide them a secure future”

BRAC International Holdings B.V. Follow us:

Bezuidenhoutseweg 2, 2594 AV The Hague, W: www.bracinternational.nl
The Netherlands T: +31 (0)6 50 255 110