About CEDAR
Since 1989, some University Post-graduate intimates established Concern for Environmental Development And Research (CEDAR), which makes difference all the way. This is exclusively involved for the progress of humankind. It is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit, non-government development organization registered under the Societies Act and Foreign Donation Registration Act of Bangladesh.
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Our Impact
Vulnerable Women Benefit (VWB) Program
Bangladesh has a strong tradition of providing support to the poor through social safety nets, which account for about 14% of the national budget and reach 27% of households. Despite significant progress in poverty reduction, the social safety net system is complex and fragmented, which limits its ability to effectively address the challenges of rising urban poverty and climate change, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing global food crisis. The VWB program, formerly known as the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) program, plays a key role in this effort. It provides women with intensive skills development training as well as a monthly ration of 30.3 kg of fortified rice. These initiatives are designed to empower women by engaging them in income-generating activities. By 2030, the VWB program aims to support 3.2 million women in both rural and urban areas to establish microenterprises, enabling them to move out of extreme poverty. The VWB program is currently being implemented in three upazilas of three districts in the 2025-2027 cycle. A total of 4,249 beneficiaries have been selected for two years under the VWB program. They will receive 30.3 kg of rice per month in the 2025-27 cycles until June/2027. Vulnerable Groups Development (VGD) is one of the largest safety-net programs supported by the World Food Programme (WFP). It targets poor and vulnerable women in Bangladesh. The ultimate goal of the program is to achieve sustainable improvement in the living standards of ultra-poor families. The VWB program is being implemented by CEDAR (Concern for Environmental Development And Research) with funding from the Department of Women Affairs, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Area of Operation: District: Narsingdi, Upazila: Sadar; District: Munshiganj, Upazila: Sreenagar; District: Noakhali, Upazila: Senbag. Objectives of VWB Program: • To provide training on various income-generating initiatives for self-employment. • To provide assistance to beneficiaries to open their own bank accounts and regular savings. • To provide management and assistance to obtain credit assistance; and • To provide socio-economic empowerment of beneficiaries through provision of income-generating training, awareness and other support services.
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Income Generating Program (IGP)/Micro Credit Peogram
CEDAR (Concern for Environmental Development And Research) has a vision that came out of social and economic mission of bringing financial service to the poor and the poorest so that they can come out of poverty. As micro credit service provider CEDAR at present is providing micro-credit approximately 11,944 families through its 11 branches in 10 Upazilas of 04 different districts both in urban and rural areas. The Urban areas are in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj cities. The rural areas are Gazipur, Narshingdi, Narayanganj districts. CEDAR has been providing financial services for disadvantaged communities in Greater Dhaka of Bangladesh since early 1996. The program has evolved over decades and presently offers services in mobilization of savings, micro-credit, enterprise credit, asset creation specialized services for ultra poor households by technical and financial assistance of PKSF. These services are provided through groups, most of the groups and their members are rural women. CEDAR has started micro credit through replication of PKSF model in the year 1996 in one of the Dhaka city slums, since then it has served 11,944 families through 9,719 Borrowers and had disbursed Tk. 11,84,31,000/- as loan till October 31, 2018. Present outstanding loans stands at Tk 22,18,47,249/- and total savings deposit of Tk 6,72,31,187/-. A successful Micro-finance program starts with clear objectives to set up permanent institutions with systems designed to provide standard financial service on a long-term sustainable basis. This objective implies following key things: good quality financial products and services, delivery by an appropriate institution on a profitable basis to satisfy clients who continue to value and use those services. Quality of financial services means, which would meet the needs of the poor community and not only the needs of financial institution. Under the Income Generating Program (IGP) each group has 15-30 members. They receive an orientation on financial procedures and discipline. The savings by each member of the group starts from the inception of group formation. They usually save taka 20-50 a week. Following this process of group discipline and savings in about 7 days time the members start receiving micro credit. Each member can borrow taka 20,000 to taka 69,000 as Jagoron loan. The successful micro borrowers can apply for Agrosor Micro Credit. Agrosor loan is a service product to assist group members to set up larger scale economic activities which result in enhanced income and employment opportunities. The amount of the enterprise loan ranges from taka 70,000.00 to taka 10,00,000.00.
Learn moreOngoing Projects
Vulnerable Women Benefit (VWB) Program
19 Jul 2026
Bangladesh has a strong tradition of providing support to the poor through social safety nets, which account for about 14% of the national budget and reach 27% of households. Despite significant progress in poverty reduction, the social safety net system is complex and fragmented, which limits its ability to effectively address the challenges of rising urban poverty and climate change, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing global food crisis. The VWB program, formerly known as the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) program, plays a key role in this effort. It provides women with intensive skills development training as well as a monthly ration of 30.3 kg of fortified rice. These initiatives are designed to empower women by engaging them in income-generating activities. By 2030, the VWB program aims to support 3.2 million women in both rural and urban areas to establish microenterprises, enabling them to move out of extreme poverty. The VWB program is currently being implemented in three upazilas of three districts in the 2025-2027 cycle. A total of 4,249 beneficiaries have been selected for two years under the VWB program. They will receive 30.3 kg of rice per month in the 2025-27 cycles until June/2027. Vulnerable Groups Development (VGD) is one of the largest safety-net programs supported by the World Food Programme (WFP). It targets poor and vulnerable women in Bangladesh. The ultimate goal of the program is to achieve sustainable improvement in the living standards of ultra-poor families. The VWB program is being implemented by CEDAR (Concern for Environmental Development And Research) with funding from the Department of Women Affairs, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Area of Operation: District: Narsingdi, Upazila: Sadar; District: Munshiganj, Upazila: Sreenagar; District: Noakhali, Upazila: Senbag. Objectives of VWB Program: • To provide training on various income-generating initiatives for self-employment. • To provide assistance to beneficiaries to open their own bank accounts and regular savings. • To provide management and assistance to obtain credit assistance; and • To provide socio-economic empowerment of beneficiaries through provision of income-generating training, awareness and other support services.