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 to the needs of the affected people from 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 become increasingly engaged in community and human development in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Huge investments were made in human resource development, but results were not achieved to the extent as expected.

During the late 1980’s, CCDB prepared its first five-year plan and presented it to the donor 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 processes to address the poverty. Sustainable development is not possible without putting the people at the center of development.

Since 1996, CCDB has again frequently revised and innovated its programs. It introduced People’s Managed Savings and Credit Program (PMSC), to optimize micro-saving to the benefit of the poor people. In addition, a Community Health Program and a Community-Based Disaster Management Program were also incorporated as major development initiatives.

Experiencing the devastating consequences of climate induced disasters in Bangladesh, CCDB realized that concrete solutions are needed to address climate change problems and to initiate the transition to a climate resilient future. Therefore, CCDB set up a dedicated Climate Change Program in 2009.The program aims to create a climate sensitive and resilient society. It emphasizes on knowledge generation and sharing, climate learning and education, innovation of climate solutions, technology demonstration and dissemination, capacity development and community resilience building.

This illustrates how Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) as an organization has gone through a number of changes in its different development phases, always aiming for responding to emerging issues and in search for better alternatives, for meeting the needs of the poor.

CCDB is 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 always been at the centre of all projects and programs. Their active participation is our fundamental principle, apart from value-based concepts, processes and practices.

After now almost fifty years of operations, we still remain committed to serve the people of Bangladesh and beyond, and to work towards their and our all sustainable development, in a peaceful, more equal and just world, in respect to nature and the planetary boundaries, and in a climate-resilient, zero carbon way.