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About Volunteers Association for Bangladesh (VAB)

The Mission of Volunteers Association for Bangladesh (VAB) is "to Provide a Better Life for Rural Underprivileged Youth through Quality Secular Education and Skill Training". VAB has 8 programs which make the mission a reality--Scholarships for High School and College youth; Teacher Training; Tutoring programs for Class 6 and Class 10; Computer Training; and Pre-schools. (The eight programs are described below under Summary of Activities). In a recent comparison of schools, it is clear that VAB is making a difference. VAB assists with 29 schools and impacts 15,000 students annually.

VAB is governed by a volunteer Board and Executive Committee that provides general policy, oversees accounts and manages fund raising. VAB has offices in the New York and in Dhaka, Bangladesh. VAB activities in the US are conducted by volunteers. At least two Board members carry out 3-4 week trips to Bangladesh annually to monitor progress. In Bangladesh the program is guided by the volunteer Advisory Board. There are 5 paid Bangladeshi staff-three are program staff. A unique aspect of VAB is the contribution of 30 volunteer college interns who conduct much of the field work. The interns are trained in interviewing, bookkeeping, and research techniques. Much of the interns' field work is focused on motivating students, teachers and guardians. The interns are trained and managed by the Dhaka staff. Because of the reliance on volunteers, VAB overhead is approximately 5%.

VAB was founded in 1998 by a group of Bangladeshi expatriate professionals. It was registered by IRS as a 501©3 charitable organization in 1999. And, it was also registered as a Non-Governmental Organization by the NGO Bureau of Bangladesh in 2006. Previous programs were contracted to an in-country NGO. VAB is a transparent organization. VAB is a full member of InterAction. 990s and audits are filed with the IRS and with the NGO Bureau and are available to the public. Annual reports, trip reports, newsletters have a wide circulation.

International Voluntary Service Activities

VAB assists 29 rural high schools and operates 8 programs within those schools. 53% of students in VAB schools are female. All programs have one goal-to increase the quality of rural education. There are 2 Scholarship Programs-1) 580 high school scholarships that enables very poor but meritorious, male and female students to complete high school; and 2) 188 college and post HSC scholarships for prior VAB scholarship holders who obtain "A" on the national SSC exam. Scholarship funds and goods are distributed directly to the awardees. Awardees' academic records are monitored; students having difficulty are assisted; students unable to complete the academic year are dropped from the program.

Tutoring for SSC examinees for three months in 11 high schools was begun in 2008 and has proven very successful. The School Improvement Program provides science laboratory equipment, library books, computers, and sport and cultural equipment to the schools. Training for 145 Teachers from 29 schools in blocks of five days each for Math, English and Science subjects is critical for often non-certified teachers to keep abreast with government curriculum and to learn cognitive, student oriented methods. Also begun in 2008, is a program to Test and Tutor students entering the Class 6 who have not attended school or attended a poor quality school. Testing them to determine academic skill level and then tutor them for 3 months to bring them to Class 6 level. Starting in 2008,VAB operates 12 Pre-Schools as a means to provide students with the confidence and skills they will need throughout their life. A chapter of VAB, VAB-New Jersey, has established 72 Computer Literacy Centers throughout rural Bangladesh. The program is operated by a local NGO named D-Net. Each center has 4 computers and two instructors offering free 8-week training for 40 hours for unemployed youth. So far 10,000 students have been trained. D-Net has produced two manuals: "Esho Computer Shikhi" for learning computer skills, and "Computer Teaches Everyday English" for learning English. In addition to the above programs, each year VAB conducts a 2-day Seminar for 29 Head Masters; and conducts 3-day training for 30 Volunteer Interns.

Except for 5 staff in Bangladesh, all work in the U.S. and in Bangladeshis conducted by local volunteers-boards, committees, associates, and interns--approximately 15 people in the U.S. and 40 people in Bangladesh. During the next 12 months the biggest need in Bangladesh is for a professional researcher to establish studies to determine the academic efficiency of the various VAB programs. There is also a need in Bangladesh and in the U.S. for a professional fund raiser to train a local fund raiser.