In this final episode of the current series of The Impact Room, Asif Saleh, executive director of BRAC, the world’s largest NGO, joins Maysa Jalbout to discuss community-led solution systems, microfinance, and climate accountability. BRAC began in 1972 as a relief organisation to support displaced people in the newly-independent Bangladesh, but in the five decades since, it has grown to become the largest – and arguably – most enterprising NGO in the world. Its programmes span poverty reduction, gender equality, community empowerment, health care, and pro-poor urban development. A pioneer in microfinance and the graduation approach, BRAC also runs 10 social enterprises and has its own insurance company.  The first so-called Global South organisation to launch international operations, BRAC is a major provider of humanitarian support for the millions of Rohingya refugees who have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar. Despite BRAC being the world’s largest NGO, Asif is passionate about the need for more action on global commitments to listen to and build the capacity of smaller and local organisations.  “There’s a lot of talk around that we need to do this, but the how part of how we are going to do this is completely missing,” he tells host, Maysa Jalbout. “What you hear is when you talk to the donors is that it's too risky to support some of the local organisations because they didn't have enough capacity and systems in place.  “But then how are these local organisations going to build their capacity if they are squeezed for every single penny? It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation,” he adds. As we recorded this episode of The Impact Room, Bangladesh was grappling with some of its worst flooding on record. Asif urges the world to “wake up” to the realities of climate change which he says is threatening to reverse decades of development gains. Asif began his career in the private sector, holding senior positions with global corporates such as Goldman Sachs, Glaxo Wellcome, and IBM. He joined BRAC in 2011, first as director of communication and social innovation, then rising through the ranks to become executive director in 2019. Listen to this wide-ranging interview with Asif to also hear his thoughts on the Rohingya refugee response, why BRAC’s approach to microfinance is different, and why he left his corporate career behind to join the development sector. About the host Maysa Jalbout is a leader in international development and philanthropy. Her previous roles include founding CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, a $1bn philanthropic initiative based in Dubai, and founding CEO of the Queen Rania Foundation. Maysa is a visiting scholar at MIT and ASU, and a non-resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Find her on Twitter @MaysaJalbout. The Impact Room is produced by Philanthropy Age. Follow us on social media @PhilanthropyAge. This episode was edited by Louise Redvers. This is the last in the current series of The Impact Room. We'll be back with more episodes very soon.