BRAC, a development organisation founded by Fazle Hasan Abed in February 1972, has acted as both the initiator and catalyst for many innovations. It started as a rehabilitation project to help Bangladesh overcome the devastation of the liberation war of 1971. Gradually, it broadened its focus to long term sustainable poverty reduction and has now established itself as a pioneer in recognising and tackling the different dimensions of poverty. Its 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 whom are women, and reaches more than 110 million people with development interventions in Asia and Africa. BRAC is currently expanding into Africa where is collaborating with a number of governments. BRAC Research and BRAC Africa (directed by Imran Matin) will play a role in building evaluation capacity and support for the IGC.