The Learning and Innovation Laboratory (LILA) is a joint initiative of BRAC’s Poverty Alleviation Cluster and the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), BRAC University. Designed as a space for iterative learning and research, LILA will generate real-time insights for program adaptation and credible evidence for large-scale investment.
The pilot will be launched in six BRAC branches in Satkhira district, selected to represent diverse community contexts. By working at the community level, LILA aims to place local voices at the centre of adaptive programming. At the core of LILA is a participatory approach to research and development. The process starts with local people co-defining what “community” means in their own context.
A key research theme under LILA is revisiting the scope and operation of Village Development Organizations (VDOs)—a community mobilization and intervention platform under BRAC’s Integrated Development Programme (IDP)—as a more effective community hub to better reflect local realities and enable collective action. The VDOs will also serve as service delivery platforms, mobilizing support from BRAC, government agencies, and private sector actors. A central research question explores the incorporation of stronger local governance elements to advance civic rights and support the sustainability of VDOs.
LILA will also adapt learning from BRAC’s Graduation Program to the realities of urban poverty forms under another core research area. A research team is examining the experiences of people with disabilities from both family and social perspectives to deepen understanding of entrenched vulnerabilities. The pilot will draw on BRAC’s global experience with the Graduation and Integrated Development programs to strengthen design and implementation.
LILA aims to identify development models that are context-sensitive, community-driven, and scalable by bringing together academic and programme insights. Through participatory design, integrated interventions, and continuous learning, the initiative will explore local innovations for community-driven development that address complex social and structural challenges in Bangladesh and beyond. By embedding participation from the outset, LILA seeks to ensure ownership, relevance, and long-term sustainability of the solutions that emerge. Careful attention to local context—combined with global learning—will guide the scope, methods, and analysis of the research under the project.
