Introduction.

Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) was formed in 1973, as a national level voluntary organization, to complete the relief and rehabilitation work initiated in 1972, by Bangladesh Ecumenical Relief and Rehabilitation Services (BERRS), for responding the needs of the affected people during the war of independence in 1971 and to undertake development interventions.

Until 1975 CCDB mainly involved in massive relief and rehabilitation works that helped the war-ravaged people to a great extent in returning to a normal life. After that period, CCDB has increasingly emphasized in community and human development in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Huge investment was made on human resource development, but results were not achieved to the extent as expected.

During the late 1980’s CCDB prepared first five-year plan and presented to the donors consortium. Main emphasis was given to unveil the human potentials through formal and non formal education. At the same time CCDB started focusing on people’s participatory process to address the poverty. Sustainable development is not possible without putting the people at the center of development, CCDB extensively practiced people’s participatory process since 1980. some changes both at program and management level and many of the responsibilities were transferred to the People’s institutions (PI).

Since 1996, CCDB again brought some changes in programs. It introduced People’s Managed Savings and Credit Program (PMSC), to optimize the benefit of the poor people. In addition Community Health Program and Community Based Disaster Management were also incorporated as major development initiatives.

Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) as an organization went through a number of change process in development phases, for responding to the emerging issues and in search for better alternatives, for meeting the needs of the poor.

CCDB has been a learning, non profit organization, focusing on people’s needs and aspirations through projects and programs, addressing emergency needs, through relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction followed by development programs, focusing on human resource development toward self-reliance, collective growth and distributive justice for the promotion of good governance and peace through education, health, income generation through community managed organizations.

People have been the centre of all projects and programs taken. Their active participation has been the fundamental principle, where value based concepts, processes and practices are being emphasized. Over a period of four decades of operation in Bangladesh, CCDB has evolved in its approaches to achieve sustainable development.