Biography

Group: 

SWWB Board

Role: 

SWWB Board Member

Humaira Islam, Ph.D., is the Founder and Executive Director of Shakti Foundation for Disadvantaged Women, a leading microfinance institution for the social and economic empowerment of poor women in Bangladesh. Under Dr. Islam's leadership, Shakti Foundation has pioneered financial interventions and programs, including microcredit and small savings, business literacy, small enterprise development, primary health-care, and gender awareness to help poor urban women in their fight against poverty. Today, Shakti Foundation serves 180,000 poor women and their families in most major cities of Bangladesh.

Dr. Islam is Member of the Board of Trustees of Women's World Banking (WWB), Treasurer of the Executive Board of International Network of Alternative Financial Initiatives (INAFI) and Member of the Academic Council of East West University, Bangladesh. She is also a member of many other international organizations, including the Bangladesh NGO Foundation, the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, National Steering Committee (NSC), Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad, and MIME Project (Micro Insurance Mutual Entity). Before joining Shakti Foundation, Dr. Islam worked as the Executive Director of Manabik Sahajaya Sangstha and as a Research Associate of CIRDAP. Dr. Islam holds a Ph.D. in Women's Empowerment, a M.Phil degree on "Bangladesh Parliament" and a Master's degree in Political Science from the University of Dhaka.