Indonesia

BRAC began its journey in Indonesia in 2023. With over 270 million people, Indonesia is the world’s fourth-most populated country. It’s also home to the largest Muslim population. Indonesia spans over 17,000 islands and is known for its cultural and ecological diversity. Indonesia has been part of BRAC’s effort to scale Graduation through governments.

Despite steady economic growth in recent decades, about 13 million people in Indonesia live in extreme poverty. Many don’t have access to education, healthcare, or steady jobs. Natural disasters and climate change add further strain to communities. BRAC in Indonesia partners with the government to help women and families break the cycle of poverty for good.

at a glance

95%

of Graduation participants graduate from extreme poverty after this programme

9x

increase in savings among Graduation participants after this programme, plus a 37% increase in earnings

93%

of Graduation participants sustain the benefits 10+ years after graduation

“We are committed to ensuring that the assistance provided by the government reaches those furthest behind, leaving no eligible poor people without the necessary support to meet their needs and better their lives.””

Uu Ruzhanul Ulum, Vice Governor and Head of TKPK of West Java Province

our work

Scaling Graduation through Government

Scaling a proven pathway out of poverty in partnership with the Government of Indonesia

Nearly 1 in 10 people live in extreme poverty. They face multiple, reinforcing barriers that keep them and their households in a poverty trap. Economic growth alone hasn’t proven sufficient to create economic opportunity to overcome these traps. Traditional longstanding social assistance and other programmes have not adequately addressed the root cause. There is a need for new tools to create opportunity for those furthest behind.

The Graduation approach is a proven way to help people graduate out of extreme poverty. Graduation is a sequenced, two-year investment that helps people build sustainable livelihoods. Each participant gets support to meet basic needs and receives a productive asset. Assets could be livestock or inventory to start a small business. They also receive coaching to build confidence, know-how, and hope.

Our collaboration in Indonesia involves key partners at national-level ministries/agencies, as well as selected provincial and district/city governments. Together, we are integrating the Graduation approach into existing poverty reduction programmes. Indonesia’s commitment to eradicating poverty is part of its strategy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 1.

BRAC has started to support the government to prepare the implementation of graduation programs, including setting target participants. To date, the government has set to reach 1.5 million families per year by 2029 through Graduation programs. Meanwhile, local governments in several regions have set to enroll up to 200,000 households by 2029.

The Graduation approach was first developed in Bangladesh in 2002. Today, over 100 organisations in nearly 50 countries use it. Through this initiative, BRAC hopes to help 21 million people escape extreme poverty by 2030—including 4.6 million families by 2026.