Ashrai was founded in 1990, focusing on the development of Adibashi (tribal) communities in the Barind tracks, in the northwest of Bangladesh. Ashrai follows a holistic approach to development of human poverty, reduction of income poverty and to establishment of right of the Adibashis in the society. It has been implementing programmes on savings and credit program called Community Managed
Microfinance, and working on awareness raising, fostering leadership & community-based organization, providing adult & child education, imparting skill training and launching income generation programme and implementing climate change adaption and low carbon projects including Green financing projects. In 2018, Ashrai included mainstream population for enterprise development program in order to accelerate the overall sustainability of its Financial Services Development Program (FSDP).
Ashrai activities are currently being launched Microenterprise development (MED) Programme for sustainable development of more profitable income generation in agricultural and manufacturing business creating employment and addressing domestic migration. Green Finance in terms of SHS (Solar Home System), Bio-gas and ICS (improved Cooking Stove) through 154 existing branches in 24 districts of the country. A total of more than 741 staffs are employed in Ashrai. The organization is covering with more than 195,165 clients of CMMF, MED & GF and Social development project.