Through its years of struggle against chronic deprivation, hunger and injustice, Bangladesh has been home to many innovations in tackling poverty. BRAC, a development organisation founded by Fazle Hasan Abed in February 1972, soon after the liberation of Bangladesh, has acted as both the initiator and catalyst for many such innovations and change. Our initial focus was on assisting the refugees returning from India to their newly independent country. In 1973, we broadened our focus to long term sustainable poverty reduction. Over the course of our evolution, BRAC has established itself as a pioneer in recognising and tackling the dierent dimensions of poverty. Our unique, holistic approach to poverty alleviation and empowerment of the poor encompasses a range of core programmes in economic and social development, health, education, and human rights and legal services. Today, BRAC is the largest southern NGO and employs more than 100,000 people, the majority of which are women, and reaches more than 110 million people with our development interventions in Asia and Africa.