BRAC announces Kaiser and Wendy Zaman fellowship

BRAC is honoured to introduce the Kaiser and Wendy Zaman Fellowship, an inaugural endowment launching a new educational initiative within its Medhabikash programme, an innovative intervention of the BRAC Education Programme (BEP) where talented but disadvantaged students receive financial as well as capacity-building assistance.

The initiative will become a cornerstone of BRAC's Medhabikash programme, and will be dedicated to creating opportunities for adolescent girls aged 10-19 who have dropped out of secondary
education. In its initial phase, the endowment will fund the establishment of learning centres to empower these girls through foundational literacy, numeracy, and life skills education. The initiative's ultimate goal is to equip participants to resume formal education or embark on entrepreneurial ventures, fostering independence and resilience within their communities.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony took place on 21 January (Tuesday) at BRAC Centre, Dhaka. Executive Director of BRAC Asif Saleh, Managing Director of BRAC Enterprises Tamara Hasan Abed, Executive Director of BRAC International Shameran Abed and Nazia Du Bois, Yasmin Hussain and Syed Rezaul Karim, representing the family of Kaiser and Wendy Zaman attended the event. Also present from BRAC were Moutushi Kabir, Senior Director of People, Culture, and Communications; Safi Rahman Khan, Director of Education, Skills Development, and Migration; and Najmul Hoque, Associate Director of Finance and Accounts.

Nazia Du Bois, niece of Kaiser Zaman, collaborated closely with BRAC to ensure the fellowship aligns with her uncle's aspirations. She stated that the initiative honours her uncle's legacy and his belief in the transformative power of education. Even after his passing, he envisioned the fellowship as a means of providing freedom and opportunities to disadvantaged young people. She expressed hope that it will inspire others to create similar programmes and shared her deep gratitude at seeing her uncle's dream realised.

Kaiser Zaman was a true humanitarian and a key organiser of Bangladesh's liberation war. As one of the closest companions of BRAC's founder, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, he played a pivotal role in the organisation's formative years. A BRAC governing body member and a lifelong advocate of its mission, Kaiser Zaman dedicated his career to serving displaced communities worldwide through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Together with his wife Wendy Zaman, he envisioned this fellowship as a means to empower youth facing systemic barriers- particularly girls- by providing them with access to education and opportunities. Kaiser Zaman passed away on 19 June 2023.