Village Development Center (VDC)
Bangladesh
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Village Development Center (VDC)
Village and Post: MoyenpurKadamtala, Upazila: Mithapukur, District: Rangpur,Bangladesh.
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Background
Village Development Center (VDC) started its journey in 2001 with Sustainable development goals (SDG) vision to stand in solidarity with the poor and marginalized being a peoples centered organization. VDC envisioned for a society which well be free from inequality and injustice. A society where no child will cry from hunger and no life will be ruined by poverty. Over two decades of relentless efforts to make this happen. VDC has embraced new ground s and opened up new horizons to help the disadvantaged and vulnerable people to bring meaningful and the most time bound services especially for the poor and disadvantaged. A community focused and people centered approach has been adapted by VDC while consideration has been given to the national policy and Sustainable development goals (SDG) as its guiding principle
VDC act as dynamic organization expanding its development interventions across 8 upazillas under Rangpur district of Bangladesh covering poor, ultra poor, youth, women, disable and vulnerable people.
Introduction
Village Development Center (VDC) is a non government organization formed in 2001. The aim of VDC has been to create a self-reliant development process among the rural poor by extending support for getting themselves organized and making united and collective efforts to improve their socioeconomic condition. The activity extends from the formation of primary groups with an average membership of 25 to the creation of groups’ broader organizational structures at the village, union and upazila levels. The beneficiaries of VDC are men and women of the two large sections of the rural population, i.e., the farmers, marginal peasants, landless, rural professional groups including fisher folk, weavers, potters, etc. VDC prioritize the beneficiaries considering women, youth and socially and physically vulnerable peoples.
VDC emphasize capacity building of the community peoples through organizing training. Training plays a crucial role in the VDC process and through this activity development education is imparted to the people to raise the level of their awareness, confidence, capacity and skills. There are two types of training are organized: Human development and practical skills. The subject areas of human development training courses include: social analysis, development concepts and approaches, analysis of development constraints, techniques of building organization and staff members, public relation, communication, development management, leadership and participatory development. Practical skills training courses provide the skills that are required for making efficient use of the resources and for effective implementation of social, economic, ecological and environment projects.
VDC support members through providing credit and technical assistance to the groups specially for women, youth and socially excluded portion of the members to take up income and employment generating projects in various fields such as agriculture, irrigation, fish cultivation, bee keeping, animal and poultry birds rearing, homestead gardening, social forestry, Embroidery, computer, electric, tailor ,handicrafts and marketing of products, etc.Other programmes that VDC has initiated include: popular theatre; participatory research; development support communication through video medium; health and nutrition education; literacy and women’s programmes.
VDC has been working for community development working in eight upazilas of Rangpur district. There are 7100 poor and marginalized community members involved with VDC program for their livelihood improvement and empowerment. Out of 7100 households about 75% are women.
Registration
VDC registered as a social development organization from the Department of social welfare, Government of Bangladesh in 2001 .The registration no is DSS/715/2001.
Vision
VDC seek an equitable society free from all discriminations and ensuring social and economic rights of the members of the society.
Mission
The mission of VDC is to make a happy, prosperous, and democratic society which ensure the basic needs of the people. VDC ethical principles include social justice, gender equity and human rights.
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Goal
Equal participation of both male and female in durable development programs, poverty elimination, fulfilling of basic needs, empowerment and a right to live with justice.
Areas of work
VDC has been working in the field of agriculture, environment, climate change, biodiversity, livelihood integration. Good governance and human rights, Education, health , Livelihood and Water and sanitation, Youth development, Entrepreneurship etc.
VDC Activities
Homestead Plantation
Homestead plantations are one of the keyareas of VDC. We the staff members of VDC to learn from the communities. The learning and experience we share with the communities for expanding the programme activities in other plantation areas. The implementation nature of the homestead plantation is individual, but VDC is encouraging collective efforts of the group members in selection and production of saplings. This stage is addressed as a preparatory one for group members, as well as for the staff, to face social constraints for switching over their activities to the other plantation areas..
Social Forestry
Social forestry is the component for conservation and enhancement of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) at individual and collective way for the integration of livelihood and rural development. The activities included mobilization, awareness building, training, seed and seedling distribution and plantation of seedling in the homestead areas and road sides.
Nursery
VDC promote rural nurseries to produce seedlings required in afforestation activities by providing credit, formal and non-formal training support and field technical assistance. It is worth mentioning in this regard that for capacity building training we invited Department of Agriculture Extension representatives as trainer and working together between DAE and VDC. Fruits, Timber, Flower, Ornamental and multipurpose species are the main seedlings produced in rural nurseries. Species selection and seedlings production capacity of a rural nursery depend upon the villagers’ choice and demand. The seedling also distributed among the members in free of cost or minimum cost that encourage the community people for enhancement of plant genetic resources. The key support under this component included establishment of nursery, seed distribution, financial and technical support for establishment of nursery. The project also provided marketing support for selling the seedlings.
Establishing and Protection of Rights of Vegetable Producing Farmers (EPRVPF)
Bangladesh is a major agricultural country. About 85% of the people are directly or indirectly involved in agriculture. Due to cultivable land availability, labor availability, local market, safe food production, marketing etc., due to agricultural land availability, the main economic sector. However, farmers of our country are neglected, fraudulent and deprived in different ways. Despite the opportunities for development, the agriculture sector has been threatened. Farmers, slaves of local and foreign marketing companies based on agricultural fertilizers, seeds and pesticides. VDC is implementing this program through its own funds to protect the rights and protection of farmers' rights. The project is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and VDC's joint fund to build safe food habits of people of all levels of the society.
Fish Cultivation
The farmers and fishers are involved with this activity for cultivation of fish in the pond at individual way and fish cultivation in the common land as collective way of fisher and farmers organization. The project mobilize and organize farmers group and provided training on fish cultivation in collaboration with the department of fisheries, government of Bangladesh.
Legal Support of disadvantaged women
The legal support are provided for disadvantaged women in the society included widow, female headed households, victims from dowry and other social injustice sections of the society. The project organizes the meeting at community level and local government level for providing the social supports for the disadvantaged sections of the women in the society. The organization also provides financial support and appoint lawyer for ensuring legal support for victim members.
Marketing support of craft artisan
There are the artisans those who have traditional and technical skill on making bamboo and mat cane. The project organize the portion of artisan and provide financial and marketing support for their livelihood improvement and social empowerment.
Promoting Pro-Poor Policy Reforms and Public Services for All (2010-2012)
No program can play fruitful role for the development of the people by keeping the ordinary people out of the development process. Bangladesh government had already made principles and taken programs, and implemented the programs to reduce poverty, hunger, inequity, depriveness, unemployment and illiteracy and poverty elimination. But no program can play effective role for entire development. For this reason, there is a need of increasing public participation in development process and capacity building for the grass-root level people. in order to reach this goal, VDC is implementing campaign programs at national and grassroots level. VDC, as a coordinator of RangpurDistict committee organization, is implementing the program – “Promoting Pro-Poor Policy Reforms and Public Services for All (2010-2012)”.
Income Generation Activities
VDC has organize diverse training on awareness raising, nursery establishment, poultry and livestock keeping, fish cultivation, home gardening, organic farming, seed conservation, marketing, seed production at community level. These training organize in consultation with relevant government individuals and departments and also invite the respective experts in the training sessions as a resource person. As outcome of training the beneficiaries has been able to improvement of their livelihood matching with the changing climatic condition.
Monitoring and Evaluation :-
Monitoring is the essential techniques of management authorities to analysis the current activities of VDC on regular basis. This procedure acts as the medium of supplying information to the management authorities regarding the real situation of the ongoing programs. VDC is monitoring its programs in order to determine the effectiveness of the activities and to survey the development or advancement. These procedures help the management in order to realize the difference between the target and the achievement of the activities. The monitoring procedures have collected the information from the perspective of quality and quantity of creating fruitful steps of the activities and implementation.
Human Resource Development
Development of staffs:
The most valuable asset of VDC is its own skilled workers. That’s why VDC emphasizes with highest priority on the development of the workers. For this reason, a human resource policy is available for the organization. As per the human resource policy, various procedures are continuing in order to strengthen the skill of the workers, qualification, and accountability. So VDC emphasizes on the development of workers through the development of organizational management of the workers, planning of the programs, conquering any difficulties while implementation in reality. There are 3 skilled trainers available in this organization and three more trainers are made from the citizen organization side by side. The necessary training for on going programs is provided by them. Some Rich training modules are available in order to provide training on various subjects.
Development the skill of local leaders:
Another important resource of VDC is the local citizen organization in the procedure of program implementation in the work area of VDC. This is our thought that there is no alternative to social entrepreneurship in order to make positive change. This is the reason VDC is giving highest importance on the development of the skill of the citizen organization. There are various training, orientation are provided for the citizen organizations established in the union, Upazila and district level in order to implement the activities of the organization and various activities are taken in order to improve their skill by their participation in meeting and seminar.
National and International Day Observation
Various national and international days, matching with the goal, objectives and activities of VDC, are observed often either with government and private organizations or other networks by altogether or by alone.
Cultural Activities
VDC has been arranging cultural activities from the very beginning of the establishment as part of the continuous work. The fundamental goal of VDC is to make a non-communal Bangladesh by practicing and evaluating domestic culture. These cultural activities are the main fundamental strength for implementing public awareness campaign on various social development programs of the organization. At present, the cultural activities are directed in various angles for creating awareness in all the implemented programs of the organization. There are two cultural teams are formed in 2 unions under the program of the achievement of the rights of vegetable farmers and preservations. Two sets of musical instruments are provided to two cultural teams. The skill is increased by providing training to them.
Thanking You
MD. MONIRUZZAMAN
Executive Director (ED)
Village Development Center (VDC)
Email: vdcrangpur@gmail.com; vdcbangla@gmail.com;
Mobail:-+8801738-626402