Nasco

Building Better Futures

VNG International are experts in strengthening democratic local government in developing countries and countries in transition.

VNG International

Local governments play a key role in the provision of basic services including water, waste management, health care and housing. They have a profound impact on areas such as safety, food security, rule of law and women’s rights. This is how our projects contribute in a sustainable way to better futures for people, communities and countries.

78

Projects

45+

Countries
We are supporting over

20 Million

People worldwide

Project updates

  • Large parts of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have been damaged by targeted Russian attacks. As a result, essential public services are under severe pressure. The Ukrainian Embassy and the Kyiv City Council are making an urgent appeal to Dutch municipalities to provide support.
  • In the Lebanese municipality of Ainata el Arz, a former illegal waste dump has been transformed into a thriving lavender field. The municipality turned unused land into a climate-smart livelihood initiative that strengthens social cohesion and creates income for both residents and refugees.
  • As Kenya moves from emergency response to long-term refugee governance, capacity becomes the bridge between policy and practice. People need the right knowledge and tools to make the change work, so they can deliver inclusive services that benefit both refugees and host communities. That is why VNG International brought stakeholders together in Kenya to review and validate the Refugee Management Curriculum.

Featured projects

  • Pilot programme launched to support local governance in Syria

    Country: March 2, 2026
    Topic: March 2, 2026
    Timeline: March 2, 2026
  • Urgent appeal to Dutch municipalities to support Ukrainian cities with energy equipment

    Country: February 26, 2026
    Topic: February 26, 2026
    Timeline: February 26, 2026
    Large parts of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have been damaged by targeted Russian attacks. As a result, essential public services are under severe pressure. The Ukrainian Embassy and the Kyiv City Council are making an urgent appeal to Dutch municipalities to provide support.
  • Lavender for livelihoods: How a Lebanese municipality turned waste into opportunity

    Country: January 5, 2026
    Topic: January 5, 2026
    Timeline: January 5, 2026
    In the Lebanese municipality of Ainata el Arz, a former illegal waste dump has been transformed into a thriving lavender field. The municipality turned unused land into a climate-smart livelihood initiative that strengthens social cohesion and creates income for both residents and refugees.
  • Building Kenya’s shift to sustainable refugee governance

    Country: December 23, 2025
    Topic: December 23, 2025
    Timeline: December 23, 2025
    As Kenya moves from emergency response to long-term refugee governance, capacity becomes the bridge between policy and practice. People need the right knowledge and tools to make the change work, so they can deliver inclusive services that benefit both refugees and host communities. That is why VNG International brought stakeholders together in Kenya to review and validate the Refugee Management Curriculum.
  • Strong local governance as the key to sustainable international cooperation

    Country: October 13, 2025
    Topic: October 13, 2025
    Timeline: October 13, 2025
    Without strong local governments, global ambitions remain words on paper. That message echoed throughout The power of cities’, an event organized by VNG International at Nieuwspoort in the run-up to the Dutch general elections.
  • Rebuilding communities and livelihoods after the Morocco earthquake

    Country: September 8, 2025
    Topic: September 8, 2025
    Timeline: September 8, 2025
    Two years after a devastating earthquake struck Morocco’s High Atlas region, recovery is visibly underway. Thanks to contributions from 39 Dutch municipalities to the VNG Fund for Emergency Aid, Reconstruction and Peacebuilding, the AVERDHA programme is delivering tangible results.