VERC

Established back in 1977, the Village Education Resource Center (VERC) was a collaborative project of the Save the Children - USA and UNICEF. It was indigenized as a Private Voluntary Development Organization (PVDO) in 1981. VERC emerged to fill the void of in-country capacity building support to the government, community-based organizations and communities. Its initial activities included innovation of various development approaches and techniques, communication, education, training material development, imparting training, conducting participatory action researches and technology promotion. VERC’s field program evolved from the need for an environment to apply its innovations in participatory development.

VERC innovated the CLTS approach in February 2000 as the pioneering organization in the WASH sector of Bangladesh, with the financial and technical assistance from Water Aid Bangladesh. In the process of working with the community at the grassroots level on WASH, it has been learned that community awareness and participation could prevent most of the water- and excreta-borne diseases, only if the community can be made possible to become empowered and sensitized. VERC’s experience has also been reflected in the national sanitation program strategy, and also in the Sector Development Plan (FY 2011-2025) for Water Supply and Sanitation Sector in Bangladesh.

VERC has been carrying out a wide variety of programs like life skill education, WASH, health, microfinance & livelihoods, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and capacity building across the country with competent and experienced work-force. All these have been contributing in achieving its organizational objectives to a significant extent.