The Challenge
To support its long-term strategy of operational excellence and sustainability, BRAC International prioritized digitization across its field operations. A core component of this strategy is the Digital Field Application (DFA), a custom solution aimed at automating critical field-level processes. First developed by a third-party and deployed in Rwanda in 2019, BRAC International acquired the solution in 2021, bringing in brac IT to evolve the platform and lead its expansion.
The Solution
- Strategic Growth Through System Integration
Driving this transformation strategy were goals such as operational efficiency, data-driven decision-making, reliable client-level data to support social outcomes reporting, and effective poverty targeting.
A key milestone was to decouple DFA from BRAC International’s ERP called sbiCloud (also developed by brac IT) over phases and integrate it with Temenos T24, a standardized Core Banking Solution. Rwanda became the first rollout country in 2022. Unlike sbiCloud’s individual transaction handling capability, the CBS required bulk data transfers, creating new performance demands for both the field app and its web back-office called Mission Control.
The design challenge wasn’t trivial. For a single field officer collecting repayments from 10 clients, the app needed to generate 100 payloads for CBS authorization and syncing with back-office systems. To meet these demands, DFA’s data payload structure was re-engineered. Code optimizations reduced payload creation and transfer times by 40–60%, enabling reliable operations for over 120,000 clients in Rwanda.
BRAC International Holdings B.V.
- A Need for Speed
In 2024, Liberia presented a new challenge post-integration. BRAC International is the largest microfinance provider in the country with 42 branches and 100,000+ clients. On a typical day, field officers visit 700–800 client groups, each consisting of 25-35 clients on average. Each group transaction data of repayment collection must be authorized in sequence on the CBS by a branch accountant. Field officers can’t make requests for new group transactions until the previous one has been processed.
For transaction volume of such scale, speed is essential to keep services responsive and on time before the day closes. Response times from CBS to DFA for each transaction group spiked to 15–20 seconds, causing potential cumulative delays of up to 3+ hours per day. An API fix reduced the response time from 15 seconds to under 1, significantly improving transaction efficiency and daily field operations.
Future Plans & Impact
Today, brac IT supports DFA in Rwanda, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania, with rollout plans underway for Kenya. A dedicated team of over 30 members handles everything from feature enhancements, performance tuning to 24/7 uptime monitoring. And the roadmap keeps growing. DFA is slated to incorporate two critical integrations in the coming days to ensure better data accuracy and compliance:
• Coupling with National ID databases for real-time client verification
• Access to Credit Reference Bureaus for stronger risk assessments
From 2022 to 2024, Rwanda’s microloan portfolio grew 96% while Liberia grew by 95%. However, there’s an even larger win. In 2023, BRAC International conducted an Impact Survey on five social outcome focus areas – quality of life, financial resilience, women’s economic empowerment, self-employment and livelihood opportunities, and household welfare. The survey found that 80% of clients spend more on children’s education. It’s reason enough to do what we do to support missions that positively impact millions of people.
From 2022 to 2024, Rwanda’s microloan portfolio grew 96% while Liberia grew by 95%. However, there’s an even larger win. In 2023, BRAC International conducted an Impact Survey on five social outcome focus areas – quality of life, financial resilience, women’s economic empowerment, self-employment and livelihood opportunities, and household welfare. The survey found that 80% of clients spend more on children’s education. It’s reason enough to do what we do to support missions that positively impact millions of people.
About The Author
Jonathan Das
Communication Manager
Jonathan Das is a Communication Manager specializing in solutions storytelling and product marketing. He’s previously worked in brand and social media management, fund-raising, and audio-visual production roles with consumer brands, global non-profits, and startups. Jon holds a BA degree in communications from University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. He enjoys making music, going on long walks, and reading about culture and technology.
