Jalpaiguri Centre for the Development of Human Initiatives (CDHI) is an NGO (Non Government Organization) established in the year 1999. CDHI evolved around involvement of some of its core members in the implementation of North Bengal Terai Development Project (NBTDP)-a bilateral Indo Dutch project implemented by the Government of West Bengal-    and their quest for sustainability of the impact created by the project. It was realized that an institutional intervention was necessary to facilitate institutionalization and consolidation of the project outcomes. This was discussed at various levels and finally CDHI was registered under the Societies Registration Act of the Government of West Bengal during the year of 1999-2000 and FCRA in the year of 2002. CDHI is also registered under section 12A of Income Tax and 80G.

CDHI evolved as a collective endeavour of a number of stakeholders who were concerned about the incidence of poverty, local environment and growing erosion of tranquillity which characterized the core of the region. Deepening dependency and lack of innovation often disturbed those who were amazed by the natural bounty, hard working toiling mass, rich cultural heritage and a placid social order prevailing in the region. CDHI evolved with the vision to reverse the trend, help people rise to the occasion and create an environment of self-help and local level collective action. That is what forms the core of Centre for the Development of Human Initiatives.

As the years unfolded, CDHI started functioning, constantly facilitating and enabling an environment for self-initiated actions and approaches to be tested on the ground. CDHI started with the community led initiative in primary education in ‘Buxa,’ an otherwise backward area. Simultaneously, it was  facilitating a self-evolving, members-owned and managed women federation and helping the government design and successfully implement the rehabilitation of socially alienated persons who were a product of a long, secessionist social strife in the region.

These processes—training, rehabilitation etc--- confirmed our conviction that social development is best achieved under such a synergetic condition. We were able to demonstrate that health services are best tailored and delivered with the active involvement of the community and the development of local human resources. Training as basic health workers changed the orthodox health behaviour of individuals and, in turn, the community. These were some key areas we delved deep into, and received local as well as national appreciation.

The core vision of CDHI is to facilitate a process of human initiatives in the realms of natural resources management; enterprise development and development of human resources in the North Bengal region. Our core areas of intervention are:

• Women empowerments,
• Micro finance,
• Livelihood,
• Education,
• Health,
• Technology and
• Local governance and institutional development for the poor 

Facilities, assets and support system

• A fully developed campus of its own with all necessary facilities,
• Well furnished training hall with an accommodation capacity of 80 trainees
• A dormitory to accommodate forty persons
• A modern, well-equipped office area
• Vehicles

Human Resources

Well qualified with proven competencies. A multidisciplinary team with local and national flavours having the following profile and background:

• Social sciences
• Management including financial management
• Communication Design
• Media and Advocacy

Besides, CDHI enjoys association of several national and international advisers and collaborators with proven track of accomplishments in their respective fields.

Feature & Facilities :

Soil Testing Laboratory : Supported by the Government of West Bengal, Department of Agriculture the soil testing helps the local farmers test their soil and help plan their agriculture according to the health of their soil. The soil testing laboratory has the state of the art technology and equipments and is very well known for its accuracy.

Vidya Sagar Rural Learning Centre (VSRLC) : Named after the legendry scholar of India, born in West Bengal,VSRLC offers a first class learning environment with modern equipment and other physical facilities. The centre also helps in designing different HRD activities for the NGOs and GOs in the region.