From the inception of the Church of Bangladesh there were schools, hospitals, clinics and orphanages, many founded by the various missions that established the church. The Church of Bangladesh was a founder member of the National Council of Churches of Bangladesh (before liberation known as the East Pakistan Council of Churches). NCCB had an ‘Economic and Social Welfare committee’ with resources from the World Council of Churches and Inter-church Aid which it used to enable its members including the Church of Bangladesh to engage in relief work.
Shalom is an integrated organ of the Church of Bangladesh (CoB) for responding to humanitarian needs and initiating development activities in support of dignified living of the poor. CoB has a long history to serve the common with education, health and other charitable services. After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the Church began a mission to restore the lives of the war victims through relief and rehabilitation activities, and later formed Church of Bangladesh Social Development Program (CBSDP), which is now Shalom, in 1983 for mainstreaming development programs for meeting greater needs of the people. Shalom seeks to show Christian love and establish justice and peace for the poor and oppressed irrespective of religion, caste and creed. Ethnic minorities are taken under special priority along with other vulnerable classes prone to environmental, social and climatic degradation. Shalom in its development efforts follows community based comprehensive program based approach that leads to building people’s institution and sustainable development. Shalom has gone through a massive reformation to make it effective and well governed towards its conviction. It is duly registered to work under foreign Donation Acts of the country and operating micro-credit activities.
Shalom is implementing major programs focusing on Poverty, Lack of Food Security and Nutrition, Climate Change, Vulnerability and Disaster Risk Management, Local Advocacy and Rights Program, Women and Youth Empowerment programs, Income Generation and diversified activities, Community health and Leprosy patients care, Humanitarian Response, Strengthening Institutional development, Peace building etc.
Shalom is an active member of different national and international Alliances and Networks including, Anglican Alliance, A coordinating body of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB), Community Health Global Network (CHGN), Credit and Development Forum (CDF), Disaster Management Bureau Government of Bangladesh, Network on Climate Change Bangladesh (NCC,B) etc.
Shalom is operated by an 11 members Executive Committee elected by the General Body of 31 members for three years. This General Body members are formed through the nomination of the Synod of the Church of Bangladesh consisting CoB members, people from other faiths and development professionals. The Director of Shalom is the secretary (Ex-officio) of the Executive Body who looks after all the administration of Shalom. Shalom covers a working area comprising 17 Districts reaching 21,000 households of 1,15,000 peoples.