Frequently Asked Questions

Voluntary Organization for Social Development (VOSD) is a national non-governmental, non-profit, and non-political voluntary organization established in 1987. We are committed to working with poor, marginalized, underserved, and vulnerable communities to improve their quality of life and promote inclusive, sustainable development.

We implement 83 programs across 10 thematic areas including Education, Health, Livelihoods, Agriculture, and Climate Resilience, reaching over 10.85 million people across Bangladesh.

VOSD was established in 1987. As of 2026, we have completed over 38 years of continuous service, evolving from a community-focused organization into an established national development institution with a strong track record of implementing programs across Bangladesh.

Vision: A just, inclusive, empowered, and environmentally sustainable society where poor and vulnerable people, particularly women and other marginalized groups, can live with dignity, exercise their rights, achieve self-reliance, and participate meaningfully in national development.

Mission: To empower poor and vulnerable communities, particularly women, by strengthening their capacities, institutions, livelihoods, and access to opportunities and resources through participatory, inclusive, and needs-based programs.

VOSD has a nationwide presence through 137 project offices:

• 35 Districts covered
• 137 Upazilas reached
• 10,500 Villages served
• 914 Unions engaged
• 52 Urban Slums supported

Our Head Office is in Sholok, Barishal, with regional offices in Dhaka (Lalmatia) and Barishal City. You can find all branch addresses on our Contact Page.

Yes, VOSD is fully registered with and recognized by relevant government authorities in Bangladesh:

• NGO Affairs Bureau: FDO/R-627 (1 June 1992)
• Department of Social Services: DSS-Bari-253/90 (30 June 1990)
• Microcredit Regulatory Authority: MRA No. 235 (14 May 2008)
• Directorate of Family Planning: FP-70/95
• National Skills Development Authority: STD-BAR-002479 (14 Sept 2025)

View all legal certificates on our Legal Status Page.

VOSD organizes its 83 programs into 10 thematic areas:

• Education & Skills Development (9 programs)
• Health, Nutrition & WASH (17 programs)
• Livelihoods & Financial Inclusion (5 programs)
• Agriculture, Fisheries & Livestock (13 programs)
• Women, Children & Youth Development (10 programs)
• Shelter, Resettlement & Emergency Relief (6 programs)
• Climate, Environment, Energy & Disaster Management (8 programs)
• Human Rights, Governance & Peace (8 programs)
• Community Mobilization, Research & Partnerships (5 programs)
• Communication, Religious & Institutional Activities (2 programs)

According to VOSD's organizational records, our programs have cumulatively reached:

• 10,850,320 (10.85 Million+) people directly
• Over 21 Million people reached through our Conscientization Program (awareness campaigns) since 1987

Additionally, over 1.05 million people have been organized into 54,254 savings groups to support community-led micro-enterprises and financial inclusion.

The Technical Training Institution (TTI) is one of VOSD's flagship programs, established in 2025 and accredited by the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA). It provides market-driven vocational training to help reduce unemployment and poverty.

Key details:

• Trained over 1,200 individuals, including 100+ fully illiterate persons
• Offers 5 courses: Sewing Operations, Motor Driving, Basic Computer Operations, Digital Marketing, and Pottery
• Curriculum designed to match local market demand

Environmental conservation is a core theme at VOSD. We have contributed significantly to climate resilience through:

• Planted approximately 25.5 million saplings
• Established 3,350 nurseries
• Installed over 4,200 improved cooking stoves and 3,170 IDCOL cookstoves
• Installed over 2,280 solar home systems
• Created 600 horticulture gardens and 14,530 nutrition gardens

Our recent "Green Revival Initiative" (2026) distributed over 200,000 seed balls across 10 upazilas of Barishal with an 86% germination rate.

Over nearly four decades, some of our major achievements include:

• Installed 465,877 water-sealed latrines and 2,105 deep tube wells
• Operated 4,641 Community Nutrition Centres across 37 upazilas
• Constructed over 7,000 low-cost houses for flood-affected families (with CONCERN-BD, UNDP, Indian High Commission, and Bangladesh Bank)
• Reached 131,350 children with basic literacy through our Pre-Primary Education Program
• Received 6 national awards for contributions to health, education, and social welfare

Most of our donors and funding partners are international development organizations. Our key partners include:

• Multilateral: World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), UNDP, UNICEF, IFAD, ILO, WFP, FAO
• Bilateral: USAID, JICA, GIZ, DFID, DANIDA, Royal Netherlands Embassy
• International NGOs: Save the Children, Winrock International, Helen Keller International, Concern Bangladesh
• National: BRAC, government ministries and departments

VOSD is an active member of over 20 national and international networks and forums, including:

• Credit and Development Forum (CDF)
• Gender Development Forum (GDF)
• Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF)
• Bangladesh Fisheries Development Forum
• Southern NGO Network (SNN)
• SUN Network
• icddr,b - GARNET
• National Forum of Organizations Working with Persons with Disabilities (NFOWD)

VOSD maintains the highest standards of transparency and accountability through:

• Annual Financial Audits: Reports shared with the NGO Affairs Bureau and our partners
• Governance Oversight: A 21-member General Council and 7-member Executive Committee that meets quarterly
• MEAL Framework: A dedicated Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning team tracks every project
• Whistleblowing Policy: A confidential channel for reporting misconduct
• Legal Registration: We are fully compliant with all regulatory bodies including MRA, DSS, and NSDA

We accept donations through secure mobile banking channels:

• bKash: 01771335520
• Nagad: 01771335520

Please use the "Send Money" option and mention "Donation" in the reference. For donation receipts or bank transfer details, please visit our Donate Page or contact us.

We welcome volunteers in several areas based on your skills and interests:

• Education & Literacy (mentoring children)
• Health & WASH (health camps)
• Climate & Environment (tree plantation)
• Women & Youth (skills training)
• Tech & Digital (design, social media, data)

To apply, please visit our Volunteer Page.

All our latest job circulars, Terms of Reference (ToR), and application instructions are posted on our News & Updates page. We regularly hire for roles across our thematic areas, including program management, field operations, finance, and MEAL.

For general career inquiries, visit our Careers Page.

VOSD welcomes partnerships with corporations, foundations, and international NGOs. We offer:

• Deep grassroots reach across 35 districts
• Proven implementation capacity (38+ years)
• Robust compliance and M&E systems
• Multidisciplinary technical expertise

To explore collaboration, please visit our Partnership Page or email contact@vosdbangladesh.org.

VOSD operates under a dual-tier governance structure:

• General Council (GC): 21 members representing broad stakeholder interests
• Executive Committee (EC): 7 members elected from the GC for a 3-year term

The EC meets quarterly to review performance, approve budgets, and set organizational policy. Day-to-day management is led by the Executive Director, working with professional and field-level staff.

VOSD has a multidisciplinary workforce of 9,577 personnel:

• Core Staff: 1,320 (650 Male, 670 Female)
• Project Staff: 2,882 (1,661 Male, 1,221 Female)
• Volunteers & Teachers: 5,375 (250 Male, 5,125 Female)

We also maintain a dedicated training workforce of 634 professionals across our training centres.

VOSD has developed a decentralized training infrastructure across Bangladesh:

• 4 Central Training Centres in Barishal Sadar, Wazirpur, Dhaka, and Chandpur
• 54 Upazila-level Training Centres for community-based training
• All centres offer residential and non-residential facilities
• Combined training capacity of 200+ trainees at any given time

You can reach us through multiple channels:

• Head Office: Village Sholok, P/O Sholok-8233, P/S Wazirpur, Barishal
• Dhaka Office: 8/8, Block-A, Lalmatia, Dhaka-1207
• Barishal Office: VOSD, Icha Kathi, Kashipur, Barishal Sadar
• Email: contact@vosdbangladesh.org
• Phone: +880-2-48113840
• Mobile: +880 1733 199957 (Dr. Tamanna Mostafiz, Director)

Or visit our Contact Page for all details including branch offices.

Yes, we welcome visits from partners, donors, researchers, and well-wishers. However, to ensure the safety of the communities we serve and to properly coordinate with our field teams, all visits must be scheduled in advance.

Please contact our Dhaka or Barishal office via our Contact Page to arrange a visit. We recommend providing at least 2 weeks of notice for project site visits.