Village Education Resource Center (VERC)

Journey Begins

VERC started its journey as a project of SCF-USA back in 1977 with an aim to provide process consultancy to the internal projects of SCF-USA for ensuring effective participation of community people in implementing the projects effectively and efficiently. The organization has performed the assigned role by maintaining high level quality in delivering its services to achieve the goal of SCF-USA projects. VERC became a separate local organization and continued almost similar role up to 1989 not only for SCF-USA but for the whole NGO sector in Bangladesh.

The historical evolution of VERC shows different shifts in its approaches and role with a range of providing high technical consultancy role but no implementation role to vey high project implementation role but very low technical support role. Currently, VERC is focusing more on implementing different development projects and providing comparatively less technical support to other NGOs. It might be noted that VERC has been acknowledged as a pioneering organization in the field of Non Formal Education (NFE) and Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) programs.

In order to be a learning organization as defined by a respected management author Peter Senge (1990 wrote The Fifth Discipline) “organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together”, VERC has always been focusing on strategies its course of action based on Strategic Planning. The Participatory Strategic Plan (July 2015 – June 2020) also shows the commitment of VERC to chart out its development direction based on well thought Strategic Plan.

Organizational Societal Vision

A self-reliant and enlightened society based on justice, equity and sustainability where every human being has equal opportunity to maximize their potentials.

Mission Statement

Transforming the lives of marginalized, disadvantaged and destitute people by providing humanitarian assistance and building resilient livelihoods and creating an enabling environment where they are empowered to take charge of their own destiny.

Goals

Sustainable socio-economic development of the disadvantaged and destitute people exploring their potentials and adaptation capacities.

Core Values

Core competencies

Programmatic Strategic Issues

The programmatic issues were clustered into six thematic areas like: social and legal, economic development, environment, institutional, technological, and youth development. Subsequently, strategic issues, objectives, strategic directions and major activities under each strategic direction were identified.

Thematic Area

Programmatic Focus

- In addition, VERC Training and Communication Unit organizes different need-based training program for its beneficiaries, staff members and also for the employees of different government and non-government agencies. Different support units of VERC for instance Research, Evaluation & Documentation (RED) and Finance & Administration unit provide necessary support for proper implementation of the development programs/projects.

Pioneering Contributions

- Non Formal Education:VERC is one of the pioneering NGOs in Bangladesh in the field of children’s education program which has later been adapted and replicated by many other development organizations both within and outside the country. VERC has also initiated models of community run schools and adult education model including innovative and appropriate education materials suitable for the children and adults.

-Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS):VERC introduced CLTS approach in February 2000 as the pioneering organization in Bangladesh. In the process of working with the community at the grassroots level on WatSan, VERC has learned that community awareness and participation could prevent most of the water and excreta-borne diseases. Keeping this in mind, VERC implemented “People Initiated 100% Sanitation Approach” since early 2000 with financial and technical assistance of WaterAid Bangladesh supported by DFID. The approach is now called as the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach in Bangladesh and abroad. VERC experience is also being reflected in the national sanitation program strategy.