ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation

What ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation does

ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation is a Bangladesh-based non-profit NGO founded on January 9, 1993 by Lion Mohammad Abdur Rashid, originally established as the Agro-Forestry, Seed Production and Development Agency in Jamirdia village, Mymensingh. The organization operates 93 branches nationwide and runs an integrated portfolio of community development programs: a microfinance program serving 144,700+ active clients (with a 99.63% loan recovery rate and 102% operational self-sufficiency), an education program providing monthly scholarships of 1,000–5,000 BDT to 471 students, a cooperative-based agriculture program supporting 12,500 active farmers with BDT 45,000,000 in agro-investment, the ENRICH health project delivering 100% household coverage in Hobirbari Union, a sanitation/WASH program, and a technical education and vocational training academy in Digharkanda, Mymensingh. ASPADA also runs humanitarian response, elderly development, child labor elimination, and climate adaptation programs.

The organization has no proprietary technology product. Its operating model is community-led and group-based, delivering services through branch offices, door-to-door health volunteers, and field staff. As of Q2 2025, ASPADA reported loan disbursement of approximately $52.47M (BDT 640,134,000), savings balance of $13.34M, and loan outstanding of $30.79M (PAR 5.14%) at an exchange rate of 1 USD = 122 BDT. The revenue model is driven by interest and service charges on micro-loans to small trades, farming, and cottage industries, with the education program funded from the organization's own surplus.

ASPADA is registered with the Department of Social Services (Ma-0874), under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, the Micro-credit Regulatory Authority (MRA 0000200), and the NGO Affairs Bureau (2394). Strategic co-funding and implementation partnerships include PKSF, the World Bank, AIIB, UNDP Bangladesh (DRRF), UNICEF (PRISE Project 2024–2025), BRAC, and the World Food Programme. The foundation has been recognized as "Best NGO in Bangladesh" twice (2005–2006 and 2007–2008) and was selected by Norway in 2015 for an international experience-sharing program across 18 countries.

Name

ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation

Legal name

ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation

Website

https://aspada.org.bd

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation is a Bangladesh-based non-profit NGO founded in 1993 that operates 93 branches delivering microfinance, education, healthcare, agriculture, WASH, and vocational training services to over 144,700 underprivileged clients across the country.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microfinance and Community Development Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Agricultural Services (700), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

Keywords

• Microfinance services
• Community development NGO
• Rural microcredit lending
• Vocational skills training
• Humanitarian aid programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Microfinance Service Charges: ASPADA generates revenue through interest and service charges on micro-loans disbursed to 144,700+ clients across 93 branches. Loans support small trades, farming, and cottage industries with flexible easy-installment repayment plans. The program maintains a 99.63% recovery rate and achieves a self-sufficiency (OSS) of 102%.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation is a non-profit NGO that delivers integrated community development services through group-based microfinance, education scholarships, sanitation and WASH loans, cooperative agriculture, healthcare (ENRICH Project), and vocational training. Its core delivery is the Microfinance Program, operating 93 branches with over 144,700 active clients, 99.63% loan recovery, and 102% operational self-sufficiency, complemented by education, health, agriculture, and humanitarian programs serving poor and underprivileged families across Bangladesh.

Product overview

ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation operates as a multi-program NGO offering a portfolio of integrated development services centered around microfinance, education, sanitation, agriculture, healthcare, and technical training. The core microfinance program serves as the primary platform with 93 branches and 144,700+ clients, while specialized programs including the ENRICH Health Project, Scholarship Program, WASH Project, Agriculture Project, and Technical Education Academy function as complementary initiatives addressing the holistic development needs of marginalized communities in Bangladesh.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microfinance Program Provides flexible, easy-installment micro-loans for small trades, farming, and cottage industries, serving 144,700+ clients across 93 branches with a 99.63% loan recovery rate. Targeted at poor and underprivileged families across Bangladesh.
• Scholarship Program Monthly scholarships of 1,000 to 5,000 BDT to poor brilliant students from school to university levels, including Medical and Engineering disciplines. Funded from ASPADA's own surplus; supported 471 students as of June 2024 with BDT 62,994,400 disbursed.
• Sanitation & WASH Project Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project providing potable water loans (BDT 25,318,000) and sanitation loans (BDT 123,190,000) to thousands of households, supporting installation of safely managed toilets and water supply facilities.
• Agriculture Project Cooperative-Based Integrated Agriculture project providing technical support, easy installments, and market linkages for small farmers. Supports 12,500+ active farmers with BDT 45,000,000 in agro investment, covering dairy, livestock, and fisheries.
• ENRICH Health Project Healthcare project achieving 100% household coverage in Hobirbari Union, Bhaluka, through door-to-door health volunteer visits, static and satellite clinics, and 65 specialized medical camps. Serves 12,500 households with preventive and curative healthcare, plus nutrition and hygiene awareness.
• Technical Education & Vocational Training Vocational training at the Digharkanda Training Academy in dress making, beauty parlor, computer science, block-boutique, and mobile servicing. Trains youth and women for both local and international job markets; 2,950 direct beneficiaries and 75 skilled workers created.
• Emergency Flood Response Humanitarian response program providing rapid emergency relief including food, water, and medical aid to flood-affected families across Bangladesh, in partnership with UNDP Bangladesh under the Disaster Risk Reduction Facility (DRRF).

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.63% loan recovery rate (CRR)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024UNICEF co-funds and collaborates with ASPADA on the PRISE Project (2024-2025), transforming underprivileged adolescent girls and young women into a skilled workforce in Mymensingh Sadar, Fulbaria, and Gafargaon upazilas. UNICEF representatives conduct official project activity inspections.
• BRACcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BRAC collaborates with UNICEF and ASPADA on the PRISE Project, providing training infrastructure including the BRAC Learning Center in Uttara and Mymensingh. BRAC's organizational systems and learning centers support project delivery for 150 direct students and 15 theoretical trainers.
• Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021PKSF is the implementing agency for the Bangladesh Rural WASH for Human Capital Development Project. ASPADA serves as a Partner Organization facilitating installation of 1,000,000 safely managed toilets and 120,000 water supply facilities at household level. ASPADA received BDT 51,000,000 fund from PKSF for this project.
• UNDP BangladeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASPADA is a proud partner of UNDP Bangladesh for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery under the Disaster Risk Reduction Facility (DRRF). This partnership reinforces ASPADA's capacity to provide rapid emergency relief including food, water, and medical aid to flood-affected families across Bangladesh.
• CDFminorOthersASPADA maintains active membership and cooperation with CDF (Bangladesh), a national NGO network for sustainable human development efforts.
• ADABminorOthersASPADA is an active member of ADAB (Association of Development Agencies of Bangladesh), a major NGO alliance network in Bangladesh.
• FORAMminorOthersASPADA maintains active membership in FORAM, a development forum in Bangladesh.
• CCN MymensinghminorOthersASPADA is an active member of CCN Mymensingh, a local development network in Mymensingh district.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BRAC: The largest development NGO in Bangladesh and the world; operates BRAC Microfinance alongside integrated education, health, agriculture and skills programs. Directly comparable to ASPADA in multi-vertical, microfinance-anchored NGO model serving rural Bangladesh, and is also an active ASPADA co-implementation partner on the UNICEF PRISE Project.
• ASA (Association for Social Advancement): One of the largest microfinance NGOs in Bangladesh, serving millions of borrowers through a group-based lending model similar to ASPADA's. Closest direct peer on microfinance mechanics, branch model and target borrower segment.
• Grameen Bank: The pioneering microfinance institution in Bangladesh founded by Muhammad Yunus, focused on group-based lending to poor rural women. Directly comparable to ASPADA on core microfinance product, target borrower and rural Bangladesh focus.
• Proshika: Major Bangladeshi NGO combining microfinance, skills training, agriculture and social development — closely mirroring ASPADA's integrated service model across rural Bangladesh.
• SAJIDA Foundation: Bangladeshi non-profit delivering microfinance, health, education and climate-resilience programs to low-income households — a near-analogue to ASPADA in mission, program mix and target segment.
• BURO Bangladesh: One of Bangladesh's largest microfinance providers with a similar group-based, rural-focused lending model. Closely comparable on MFI mechanics, regulatory standing (MRA-licensed) and target client.
• TMSS (Thengamara Mohila Sabuj Sangha): Bangladeshi NGO running microfinance alongside health, education and agriculture programs targeting rural poor women — very similar integrated model and geographic footprint to ASPADA.

Others

• Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF): Apex government-mandated apex funding body for Bangladeshi MFIs and POs. Not a competitor but ASPADA's largest upstream capital and partnership counterparty (co-implementing the World Bank/AIIB-funded WASH Project), making it the closest enabling institution.

Emerging players

• FINCA International: Global microfinance and impact-finance network operating across multiple developing markets including Bangladesh. Comparable on group-lending methodology and financial-inclusion mission; serves as a benchmark for international impact-investor-funded MFI scaling.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Large global humanitarian and development organization active in Bangladesh with microfinance, agriculture and resilience programming. Comparable on integrated NGO service delivery and donor-funded program mix, though at much larger scale and geographic breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aspada_bd
• Facebookfacebook.com/aspada.org.bd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ASPADA Paribesh Unnayan Foundation