EDUCATION:
In order to foster and strengthen human potentials, VERC has been emphasizing on education program since its inception. Eventually, education has been identified as a priority sector in Bangladesh by both government and non-government organizations, not only to eradicate illiteracy, but also for human resource development. Accordingly, VERC has been implementing education program in inn
ovative ways with support from development partners in the sector. The ongoing projects are: SUCCEED; VERC own funded program; Sustainable Development Program for Rural Poor Children; Sustainable Capacity Building through Reflect Project. The Early Learning for School Success (SUCCEED) project that has been completed during this year, assisted to admit a total of 6,663 children from preschool education to class-I. After successful completion of this project, the new project Promoting Talent through Early Education (PROTEEVA) started its journey with new destination through the support of Save the Children USA and financial support from USAID, in 240 schools of 11 upazila. The project sustainable development for rural poor children is under implementation of Sonargaon upazila, with financial assistance of TdH Netherlands. In this project, a total 20 Centers opened with 610 children (aged 5-6 years) enrolled in Early Childhood Development Program, 907 children enrolled under Continuing Education Program in 20 centers, 10 Community Primary School have been running with 1772 students. Along with that VERC is implementing its own funded education program in Savar area with four ECD centers and six NFPE centers having 316 students. There is also Junior School Certificate Program assisted by CAMPE & BOU and PARSES (Participatory Actions towards Resilient Schools & Education System) project is implemented with the assistance of ActionAid Bangladesh and UNICEF at Cox’s Bazar Sadar and Teknaf upazila. WATER AND SANITATION:
VERC has been implementing Water and Sanitation (WatSan) program since its inception as a component of technology promotion for livelihood status improvement. WatSan activities at the initial stage were mostly carried out in terms of production and distribution of latrine ring-slabs, installation of tube wells for safe water use promotion with limited hygiene education for awareness raising. WaterAid Bangladesh (WAB) has been providing technical and financial support to VERC since 1986. Following the innovation of CLTS approach, WAB designed the umbrella approach known as ASEH (Advancing Sustainable Environmental Health) for scaling up of the key principles of CLTS. The process also influenced in setting national strategies and programs to achieve MDG sectoral goal. WatSan projects that are under implementation in VERC’s working areas during this reporting period were supported by WaterAid Bangladesh, water.org, Unicef, Save the Children Finland, and by VERC itself. Significant achievements of all projects in this period are – number of CBO mobilized 4,010; number of latrine installed 14,696; sanitation blocks installed both in institution (schools) and public places 33; water points installed 150; 1,33,502 number of beneficiary got different capacity building training and along with this different software activities took place ensuring maximum participation of community people, like – hygiene promotion activities, meetings, workshops, day observations, networking, etc. HEALTH:
VERC has been implementing Health Program since 1990 with the support of different donors and own initiatives. Currently three health projects are going on in the field. The Community Led Sustainable Health Program is under implementation since 2006 with the financial and technical supported by SIMAVI Netherlands. Under the project, two formal CBOs i.e. Community Support Group (CSG) and Health Watch Committee (HWC) have been formed. Along with that, a total of 900 mobilization groups have been formed and 3482 patients have received healthcare services through satellite clinics. VERC is also implementing another health project titled “Maternal and Reproductive Health Project” with the technical support provided by IDRF-International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF) and sponsored by CIDA at Sitakunda and Mirsarai (pl check exact spelling and correct) of Chittagong District. Since November 2004, VERC is continuing the Mother and Child Hospital at Savar using its own fund. In 2009-2010 reporting period, two new machines (Ultrasound & ECG) have been purchased to provide better diagnostic service to the patients. There is also indoor and outdoor health services for the local poor people. During this period, a total of 2255 beneficiaries have received different services from the hospital. ENVIRONMENT:
The Improved Cook Stoves (ICS) Program is under implementation since 1987. During the year 2000, a national network - “Improved Cook Stoves Program in Bangladesh” formed with the support of Asia Regional Cookstove Program (ARECOP) Indonesia. The Network involves 93 NGOs that are working across 28 districts in the country. The project activities have been completed by 2008 but the follow up activities is going on with VERC’s own fund. Through the network, approximately 42,000 improved cook stoves have been installed with 20 demonstration centres established, and 864 staff & community people oriented on ICS technologies till 2008. There is also another ICS project “Development of an Improved Cook Stoves Project to Secure Carbon Finance for its long term Sustainability” is under implementation in 08 upazilas of 03 districts. During this reporting period 6,292 stoves have been installed and it has been targeted to install 114,000 stoves in 13 districts covering 592,800 peoples by 2015. Through this project, it is assumed that 182,400 tons of CO2 will be reduced by the year 2015. LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT:
VERC Micro Finance Program has experienced a long journey in addressing a comprehensive development need of the disadvantaged and underprivileged poor people living in both rural and urban areas of the country. It is an important program of VERC in reducing the poverty level by ensuring a sustainable socio-economic status of livelihood security for the people in need of external support. To this effect, efficient management system and tools, linkage with financial institutions, identification of alternative micro-finance schemes, approach to address poorest of the poor section and access to the remotest and hard to reach locations has added an extra dimension to VERC Income Generation Program (IGP) under its Institution Building and Income Generation (IBIG) program. During the reporting period, 35 branches offered service in 1,123 villages of 125 unions under 27 upazilas in 11 districts of the country. A total of 409 new group/samities have been formed comprised of 3,991 beneficiaries. The total number of member is 57,251 and borrower, 45,154 respectively till this period, whereas 2,140 new borrowers have been involved into this process in the reporting period. Along with its intervention, various supports are being extended in different activities of health, sanitation, education and agriculture related projects through different program sectors of the organization. CAPACITY BUILDING:
Training is an indispensable tool for building capacity of the development actors to institutionalize the lessons learnt from the development process. To enhance the knowledge and skills for blooming up human potential, changing attitude and develop commitment, this section has conducted training of 98, 532 participants in this reporting period as required by projects of different sections of the organization. Different client organizations also used training facilities of VERC for 359 participants. Strengthening Local Government Project (SLG) is one of the important and potential projects of Training Section. The program activities continued in 92 unions in 11 upazilas of 11 districts across Bangladesh and have come to its closure in March 2009. On completion of the previous phase Catholic Organization for Relief and Development (Cordaid) has started supporting a new project package titled “Increased Access to Improved Health Services at Union Level” since April 2009 to cover 12 Unions in 04 districts. It’s a new dimension of enabling the local government in introducing governance of the deserving segment of people to improved health services at the local level. The new package will continue till Dec. 2011. The TdH-Netherlands project “Capacity Building for Local NGOs in Bangladesh” capacitated 09 partner NGOs on the issues of health, education, Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and organizational development by end of 2011. During this period, UNDP extended support to VERC in conducting a performance assessment of 70 Union Parishads of Narsingdi district to establish the level of efficiency in the use of project grants by following a participatory process. The performance assessment was to qualify the UPs in accessing to expanded block grants from UNDP. The assignment is recognition to VERC’s experience on capacity building of UPs for long in the country. A similar nature of assignment is under consideration of World Bank. RESEARCH, EVALUATION & DOCUMENTATION (RED):
Since its emergence VERC undertook different types of research and innovative activities. Later on RED Section has emerged within VERC for conducting action research and piloting different new initiatives which are documented and disseminated among the partners, stakeholders and donors. The studies are usually carried out by VERC itself and by engaging external program experts in consultation with donor agencies. Following are the key activities of the reporting period:-
Mid-term evaluation of Community Initiated Sustainable 100% WatSan and Hygiene Behaviour C
