BRAC is continually innovating: Asif Saleh

BRAC, established in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, stands as one of the world's largest NGOs. Initially dedicated to addressing diverse social issues like charity, housing and healthcare, BRAC has evolved into a comprehensive force for positive change. 

Asif Saleh, serving as the Executive Director since 2019, has been integral to BRAC's journey since 2011. Transitioning from the top investment bank globally, Goldman Sachs, Asif Saleh brings a unique perspective to BRAC's leadership. 

In a recent interview with The Business Standard, he talked about BRAC's history, vision and various aspects of its work.

Can you share your personal journey, from your upbringing and education to how you found your way to BRAC?

I joined BRAC in 2011, and my journey with this remarkable organisation spans almost 13 years now. I grew up in Bangladesh and completed my intermediate from Dhaka College before heading to the United States in 1991 to pursue my undergrad in Computer Science. 

I got four job offers before completing my undergrad and I started working at Goldman Sachs, an investment bank on Wall Street, New York. After seven years in New York, I moved to Goldman's London office in 2004. While working at Goldman, I also pursued a part-time MBA from NYU. I worked for around 12 years as an executive director at Goldman and I was doing great but something was really missing. 

In 2001, we started a volunteer organisation called Drishtipat, focusing on expatriate Bangladeshis. While working with Drishtipat, I came into contact with different volunteer organisations in the country. Finally, after 18 years of overseas life, I came back to my country.  

Returning to Bangladesh in 2009, I initially started my own organisation, which actually did not go really well. So, I then returned to a paid job. I joined [and worked at] UNDP's A2I programme for two years before eventually finding my way to BRAC. 

One day, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed said, "If you really want to work in the development sector, come to BRAC. Hands-on at BRAC will give you true understanding that comes from working on the ground." 

So, I joined BRAC on 3 February 2011 and took on the role of Executive Director in 2019.

BRAC has evolved significantly over the years. Can you shed light on some of the new enterprises that have emerged?

BRAC has always adapted to the changing times, recognising the need to address new societal challenges. Our founder emphasised the importance of staying relevant by evolving with the times. BRAC began as a relief organisation in the 1970s focusing on housing and rehabilitation for returning refugees. 

As we addressed the need for livelihoods, microcredit emerged to provide access to finance. We worked with health and improving immunisation. Then when the village organisations working on microfinance sat down, we saw that the gap was much larger. 

Each family has seven or eight boys and girls. When we asked why they don't participate in family planning, they said they didn't really know how many would survive because the infant mortality rate was so high. Then we realised that before we can work on family planning we have to work on child mortality. 

Identifying gaps in child mortality and child education, BRAC initiated campaigns against diarrhoea, established schools, and facilitated a cultural revolution by promoting girls' education. We have established around 64,000 schools across Bangladesh in our one-room school model. 

Just like this, over the years, BRAC has tackled one societal problem after another, ensuring its continued relevance. Evolution is integral to our mission of creating impactful solutions for the challenges faced by communities.

BRAC's first business model was Aarong. Could you share the origins of this enterprise?

BRAC's first social enterprise, Aarong, originated from efforts in the late 1970s to generate employment through microfinance. Recognising that women trained in handicrafts faced challenges in the absence of a craft market, Aarong was established to address this gap. 

Similarly, BRAC Dairy was launched to counter the issue of falling milk prices due to a lack of outlets for selling milk. Each enterprise aimed to provide employment, aligning with BRAC's commitment to sustainable social impact.

When BRAC started its work, there were already other NGOs in existence. How does BRAC distinguish itself from others, especially considering its consistently robust revenue stream and successful self-established businesses? What sets BRAC apart?

The distinctive feature of BRAC lies in its hybrid models. Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, with his exceptional entrepreneurial skills, seamlessly blended business acumen with social work, creating a unique organisational approach. While he could have become the largest businessman in Bangladesh solely through business ventures, he chose to bring his expertise to the realm of NGOs.

Furthermore, Sir Abed's social consciousness led to the development of sensitive programming, exemplified by initiatives like the Ultra Poor Graduation Programme. This programme addresses the needs of individuals in extreme poverty who may struggle to repay microloans. Through a comprehensive two-year process involving asset provision, training and various forms of support, participants – assessed against nine indicators – graduate and become self-sufficient. 

This innovative model, designed by Sir Abed, has been implemented in approximately 46 countries. Additionally, his commitment to addressing the challenges faced by the most marginalised segments of society showcased his profound empathy.

A second distinguishing factor was Sir Abed's ambitious vision. He believed that size matters and that enterprises must be substantial to have a truly transformative impact. For instance, when establishing schools, he set an audacious goal of opening 100,000 schools, emphasising the necessity of scale for meaningful change. This ambitious mindset, often lacking in other NGOs, reflected Sir Abed's fearless approach to making a substantial difference.

Adapting to new ideas is crucial. How does BRAC navigate evolving needs, considering that projects undertaken in the past may no longer be relevant?

As times change, BRAC remains dynamic in its approach to addressing evolving needs. In the past, when there was a shortage of primary schools, we focused on providing access to primary education. However, as circumstances shifted, we launched the BRAC Academy in 2017, moving towards a model of quality education. Notably, this academy is no longer a free school, acknowledging the need for sustainable quality education. 

Similar challenges exist in the healthcare sector due to reduced foreign financing. BRAC recognises the social problem of providing affordable yet high-quality healthcare services and is actively working to address this issue.

Despite the government's good intentions, ensuring quality education in remote villages remains a challenge due to the reluctance of experienced teachers to work in those areas. How does BRAC tackle this issue?

We prioritise post-training initiatives, recognising the difficulty of attracting experienced teachers to remote villages. To address this challenge, we focus on selecting individuals within the community who exhibit passion but may face obstacles in managing the job. By providing extensive training, we empower these potential teachers, cultivating a pool of qualified educators from within the community. This approach contributes to the sustainable development of local human resources and fosters a sense of community ownership in education.

How is BRAC addressing emerging challenges?

We are actively tackling emerging issues through various programmes, with a specific focus on Youth Unemployment and Urban Poverty. While poverty was traditionally associated with rural areas, the dynamics have shifted as urban migration has led to new challenges in cities. 

In every sector where we operate, the nature of the problems we address has evolved. For instance, in education, the emphasis has shifted from mere access to quality education. In the health sector, while progress has been made in reducing infant and maternal mortality, new challenges like non-communicable diseases, previously considered ailments of the affluent, have become widespread.

To address these emerging health issues, we've initiated programmes for non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure and diabetes across villages in Ganje city. In one village alone, our screening revealed that 40% of individuals had undiagnosed blood pressure issues, leading to strokes at a young age. We're implementing small-scale models in various locations to proactively address these evolving health concerns.

How is BRAC contributing to climate-related initiatives?

Our primary focus in addressing climate-related challenges is on climate adaptation, particularly its impact on people's livelihoods, primarily through agriculture. Climate change affects agriculture with alterations in seasonal calendars, water salinity and water scarcity. We're actively working on smart agriculture and adapting livelihoods accordingly.

For instance, in the southern region, where paddy is no longer viable due to salinity, we've introduced sunflower cultivation as it thrives in saline soils. Our research centre supports these initiatives, delivering seeds through our seed enterprise and working closely with farmers. Additionally, addressing water issues, particularly freshwater scarcity in the southern region, we've implemented rainwater harvesting programmes to provide a sustainable water source during dry seasons.

Our climate change programme encompasses various adaptation models, including collaboration with insurance initiatives. Recognising the vulnerability of certain regions, we've introduced comprehensive insurance coverage, including crop and livestock insurance, through microfinance programmes. 

We aim to empower communities to protect themselves from risks with minimal premiums. We plan to scale up these initiatives, focusing on the 35 climate-vulnerable districts, particularly the five hotspots—the southern area, Barendra area of Rajshahi, Haor area in Sunamganj, Chittagong Hill Tracts and flood-prone areas in Jamalpur.

In the face of increased floods and water crises, our climate change programme strives to develop constructive and effective solutions. Simultaneously, through our microfinance programme, we aspire to collaborate with local farmers, enhancing their quality of life in a sustainable and dignified manner.

You recently returned from Davos. What were the key discussions and takeaways from the event?

Participating in Davos provides a valuable opportunity to gauge global trends and understand the highest-priority issues. Additionally, we engage in numerous side meetings with our various partners, many of whom we connect with during the event. 

The Global Risk Report released annually is an insightful resource. This year, it highlighted 10 risk factors, with three standing out as particularly crucial. Firstly, the significant risk of misinformation and disinformation, particularly prevalent in election years, impacts social discourse. Secondly, economic uncertainty looms large for some nations, though Bangladesh has the potential to overcome its current economic challenges with strategic policy adjustments. 

Lastly, climate-related risks, including erratic weather patterns and the 2023 record as the hottest year, pose threats to productivity and public health.

BRAC's ideas are being replicated in other countries. What insights have we gained from BRAC's international endeavours, and what is the extent of BRAC's work globally?

BRAC International is relatively recent, with its first venture into Afghanistan in 2002. Since then, we've gradually expanded our presence in various countries. However, achieving transformative change akin to our impact in Bangladesh will take time. The initial expectations may have been ambitious, but the process of change is inherently time-consuming.

Are there any new major ventures on the horizon for BRAC?

Certainly, BRAC is continually innovating. One recent venture is the one-stop model health social enterprise launched last year in Mirpur. This patient-centric health service point integrates quality diagnostics and skilled pharmacists, offering affordable healthcare. We're expanding this model with a new centre in Uttara and have ambitious plans to scale it up rapidly over the next five years. What sets it apart is its commitment to providing top-notch services at an accessible cost, differentiating it from conventional health centres.

Having had the opportunity to work closely with Sir Abed, could you share a special story or insight about him?

Abed sir has consistently lived up to his words, contrary to some disappointments one might encounter when closely observing prominent figures. His values and personality have garnered increasing respect as I got to know him better. 

One day, stuck in a traffic jam, we were discussing various matters. The car was on AC. I brought up a criticism against BRAC that often was heard at that time. It was about the BRAC centre. People would ask why an NGO needs such a big building, [and] that too, with central air conditioning. 

He firmly expressed that the effectiveness of the work should be the primary indicator of their work. He said, "Do not confuse frugality with morality," and highlighted that a conducive work environment enhances productivity and, ultimately, the impact of the work undertaken. His focus remains on the effectiveness of the work rather than extraneous details.