“When people ask me now what BRAC stands for, I like to say that we stand for an idea – an idea of a world where everyone has an equal opportunity to realize their potential.”
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, BRAC Founder

For Shameran Abed, BRAC was basically an elder sibling. The organization, formed in 1972, preceded Shameran’s birth by about a decade and was founded by his father, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed.

BRAC was born from the devastation that occurred as Bangladesh fought for its independence and also faced a disastrous cyclone. What began as a modest, local relief effort quickly grew into a movement that reaches more than 100 million people in need across Asia and Africa. The organization and Shameran basically grew together, making his perspective on philanthropy both unique and life long.

Welcome to part 1 of the discussion among host and co-founder of The Life You Can Save, Charlie Bresler and his guests Shameran Abed, Executive Director of BRAC International and Scott MacMillan, author of Hope Over Fate: Fazle Hasan Abed and the Science of Ending Global Poverty.

In this discussion, they discuss the history of BRAC and its founder, the evolution of BRAC’s mission, what it’s like to grow up in a mission-centered household, and the state of philanthropy today. We hope you’ll also join us for part 2, publishing December 5, 2024, on the importance of hope and agency in overcoming poverty in a lasting and sustainable way.