Volunteers Association for Bangladesh Canada (VABC) vabcanada

1. Volunteers Association for Bangladesh Canada (VABC) www.vabcanada.org

2. Volunteers AssociationforBangladesh (VAB)An organization that promotes Educationin rural Bangladeshwww.vabonline.orghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1JmEPSvQUU

3. VAB Founder and President Dr. ATR Rahman

4. VAB Dignitaries

5. Launched a new chapter 9th May 2012: with a vision of Secondary Education in Bangladesh

6. Snapshots: Inception of VAB Canada May 9, 2012

7. VAB Canada founder- PresidentMs. Pamelia Khaled

8. VAB Canada officials

9. Our distinguished guests • Bangladeshis, Canadians and Americans • Bangladesh and Canadian educationists • more than 200 audience members

10. The Honorable Minister Glen Murray (Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities)

11. VAB USA: General Secretary Dr. Mahfuz Chowdhury

12. Objectives of VAB & VAB Canada • To support primary and secondary education especially for the poor • To support local community efforts in improving educational and training facilities (e.g. instruction, library, laboratory) in the poor areas • To support vocational and skilled training and associated activities for helping the unemployed secure and maintain stable employment

13. Education Issues in Bangladesh • Low-quality education • High drop out rate both at primary and secondary levels • Poor infrastructure, overcrowding, lack of facilities and low-quality teachers • Urban-rural divide in resources and knowledge

14. VAB Canada supports all VAB projects • Students Empowerment program • Teacher Empowerment program • School Empowerment program • Community Linkage program

15. VAB Canada short term activities • a. Networking • Networking is the key step to develop connections with other organizations (it could be an • organization similar to VABC, large corporations, etc.), develop personal connections with those • involved in similar activities or have the capabilities to bring more potential donors or by • himself could be interested in VAB Canada.

16. VAB Canada short term activities • b. Out Reach VABC - through local communities • This is with direct contact with communities and our plan is to arrange different activities for • local communities in order to support community development: • I. Health awareness: Healthy Living, Balanced Nutrition, Heart Care, Diabetes, etc. • II. Education sector: art and craft, language skills, Reading Circle (children and adults), • garner school boards support for volunteers from high schools, initiate student/youth • exchange programs (schools and universities), etc. • III. Professional development, Job shop (requesting other Job shopper/seller, even from • ourselves and through personal connection), resume writing, etc.

17. VAB Canada short term activities • c. Fund raising • The following are proposed strategies for Fund Raising: • i. Personal donations & donations collected through personal connections • ii. Link with large organizations to generate regular and on-going donations • iii. Annually/bi-annually Gala dinner, arranging movie premiers, musical and dance • performances, etc. • iv. Participate in community fair, gathering and sell VABC /VAB products, Zakat fund, • etc. • v. Explore and connect with the Canadian Government and/or other international • organizations who allocate funds for the Education Sector.

18. Long term goal of VAB Canada2014 • Propose for VAB Canada university: Supporting VAB Graduates • our target of 10% of the youth population gain university qualification, we • must ensure that they are also trained to be skillful entrepreneurs who generate • employment instead of seeking employment from existing industries. • Proposal for launching a magazine for teachers’ professional development in Bangladesh • These would ensure long term goal generation wing for VABC.

19. VAB strives to: • improve lives of rural children through education • award scholarships • provide tutoring • equip classrooms • train teachers Results: • improved test scores, lower dropout rates, and ultimately a better standard of living

20. VAB’s Vision for the next Five years • Self- sustained improvement capability of schools • Quadruple the number of schools in clusters of Five • Ready access to ICT in education • Increased opportunity for Mathematics, Science, ICT and Language Education • Extensive collaboration with related organizations

21. VAB &VABC Strategy • Provide input in education to enhance learning opportunities. • Create inspirational, dynamic and productive environment. • Select cluster schools in specified localities to create an enlightened environment in a community. • Work out a Five-Year perspective Plan with the schools with definite goals and outcomes. • Partner schools in funding for projects to ensure ownership, accountability and transparency. • Work with an exit strategy so as to ensure continual improvement at the end of five years of work with the schools.

22. VABC success stories (Sept 2012 – Nov 2013) • received 12 Computer projects and established 6 computer laboratory schools in rural high schools. • donated winter clothes/ blankets among the poor • donated Zakat money for the disadvantaged children in Bangladesh • donated money during the Savar Rana Plaza garments Tragedy • donated money for teacher development program • collaborated with Youth Sarcoma Initiative (YSI) Charity Dinner for Sick Kids Hospital, Nov 10, 2013 • collaborated with North York Rotary club,2014

23. The latest VAB- 2014 VAB received a generous grant from Dutch-Bangla Bank (DBBL) Foundation on 20 March 2013 Extraordinary Performances by VAB Schools and VAB Students in 2013 SSC Exam VAB assisted 57 rural high schools this year have scored a 90.04% pass rate in the SSC Examination.  Out of 268 VAB scholarship recipients, 255 representing 95% passed the Exam with 85% receiving Grade “A-”or higher

24. VAB accomplishments to date • Schools supported: 75 • Scholarship: About 7000 School students • Additionally some 900 college scholarship • Tutoring: About 15,000 students • Additionally about 1200 children in 18 Pre-Schools • Teachers Training in Science, English, Math and Computer: about 700 teachers • Lab, Math Olympiad, computer and library support: about 30 schools

25. VAB & VABC Best Practices: Transparency and Accountability • Disburse funds only upon performance reviewed by responsible members • Publish annual report, newsletters, and internet reports • Submit audited financial reports to NGO Affairs Bureau under Prime Minister’s Office, Bangladesh, and U.S. IRS State Government of New York. • VABC completed final audit by the third party • VABC hand over entire money generated in the 2012-13 financial year

26. Our Appeal… WE NEED YOUR • presence at all our activities • contribution financial and in kind • ideas for success and progress • commitment for the education programs and other projects • support to move forward with more pride and confidence

27. How Can You Help? • Sponsor a project (science, vocational or computer lab or library) • Sponsor 30 high school scholarships in one year • Sponsor 10 college scholarships • Sponsor 5 university scholarships • Sponsor 1 Pre-School

28. Our Children Need Better Education VAB Canada: We Can Do It Collectively

29. www.vabonline.org www.vabcanda.org Thank you!!!