Women farmers tend their crops in Bangladesh | VSO

Our work

We bring about lasting change not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers and partners to empower communities in some of the world’s poorest regions.

Areas of work

Purnima at a catch up class
Suraj Shakya

Inclusive and resilient education

Making sure everyone gets the skills they need to live a fulfilled, dignified life.

Over the past five years we have supported almost 3,500,000 children to access the quality education they deserve.

Young female farmers in Kenya
Paul Wambugu/ Obscuramedia

Resilient livelihoods

Ensuring people have the skills and opportunities needed to support themselves and their families.

770,000 people have benefited from our work supporting livelihoods over the past five years.

Girls at the She Club, a safe space for girls to learn about SRHR
Chosa Mweemba

Adolescent and youth health and wellbeing

Improving health services and empowering people to exercise their right to quality care.

Over the past five years we have helped over 3,600,000 people access better healthcare.

Our projects

Read about current and former projects that VSO has worked on.

Discover our projects

How we work

Volunteering for development

At VSO, we know that people in developing countries have the power, courage and desire to help themselves. That’s why we use a volunteering for development approach that puts the most marginalised people first.

Volunteering for development approach

Two adolescent girls study on a bench

Our core approaches

Across all our programmes we focus on building communities that are resilient, inclusive and accountable.

Our three 'core approaches' - social inclusion and gender, resilience, and social inclusion and accountability - are fundamental to our volunteering for development approach, ensuring that the people we work with have the capacity to bring about change in their own lives.

Our core approaches

Working in partnership

We believe progress is only possible when we work together.

Partnerships lie at the root of all the positive change we create. Together, we work on programme development and delivery, research, fundraising and influencing decision-makers.

We work with:

  • 500+ local organisations in 23 countries;
  • governments at all levels;
  • funders, academic institutions and advocacy platforms;
  • corporate partners.

Partnering with VSO

Research and evaluation

A woman sits on a low outdoor wall whilst writing in a log book
VSO/Suraj Ratna Shakya

Evaluating our work is essential. We carry out systematic assessments of all projects, programmes and policies.

Research plays a critical role in helping us understand and improve our work reducing poverty.

Research and evaluations

Influencing and advocacy

A group of Nepali women hold a banner and placards as they protest in front of their remote village, with hills in the background
VSO/Peter Caton

We influence policy at national, regional and international levels. We connect decision makers to the experiences of our volunteers, partners and marginalised people.

Our work around the world, amplifying the voices of the poorest, is making change happen.

Influencing and advocacy

Examples of our work

Bangladesh

Livelihoods

Cambodia

Livelihoods

Malawi

Livelihoods

  • Improving Market Access for the Poor
  • Solar Mama Rural Electrification project

Nigeria

Livelihoods

  • Improving Market Access for the Poor

Tanzania

Livelihoods

  • Improving Market Access for the Poor
  • Lake Zone Youth Empowerment project
  • Tanzania Local Enterprise Development (T-LED)
  • Collective Action for Rights Realisation in Extractives Industry (CLARITY)
  • Futuremakers

Uganda

Livelihoods

  • SCOPE (Skills and Capacity for Organisational Productivity and Employment)
  • Futuremakers

Latest stories

Nicoline at the market

“Bringing about change is always a two-way process" - Nicoline's journey in Cambodia

Nicoline volunteered on VSO's Rural Employment for COVID-19 Economic Recovery (RECOVER) project in Cambodia, helping rural communities to build sustainable livelihoods. Learn more about her volunteer journey.

Rice trading project in the Philippines
Lisa Marie David

Four ways you’re helping communities cope with the climate crisis

As our planet warms and our weather gets more extreme, raising awareness and galvanising climate action is more vital than ever. Learn how you're helping the communities bearing the brunt of climate change, adapt and survive.

Volunteer Jonito at the Kulambagan ecotourism site.
Lisa Marie David

How we're championing active citizenship

VSO is supporting communities around the world to take ownership of local issues, lead and shape their own development, and raise their voice with decision makers to improve the way in which public services are delivered.  

A farmer standing next to their harvested crops

Support us with a donation