By Sanjida Sultana

The ICVGD Phase II Endline Study (2019–2025) assessed the impact of the Integrated Vulnerable Group Development (ICVGD) programme on ultra-poor women and their households across Bangladesh. Implemented by the Department of Women Affairs under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs with support from the Government of Bangladesh and the World Food Programme, the programme aimed to move beneficiaries from short-term relief to sustainable livelihoods by combining food assistance, skills training, cash grants, and enterprise support. The endline results show substantial improvements in food security, income, assets, and women’s empowerment. Acceptable food consumption increased by 31 percentage points, while severe food insecurity declined significantly compared to baseline levels. Monthly household income rose by around BDT 3,500 overall and up to BDT 8,600 in extreme-poverty areas, alongside a marked reduction in negative coping strategies. Productive assets increased by about BDT 50,000 in overall programme areas, outperforming both traditional VGD and control groups. Women’s economic participation expanded strongly, with up to 70 percent of participants engaged in income-generating activities and many earning at least BDT 2,500 per month. The study, based on a Difference-in-Differences analysis comparing ICVGD, VGD, and control households, confirms that the programme’s integrated package produced sustainable outcomes beyond the project period. Beneficiary stories further illustrate how skills training and small investments translated into stable incomes, savings, greater decision-making power within households, and employment opportunities for other women, demonstrating the effectiveness of ICVGD as a pathway from vulnerability to resilience