Symbiosis International is a registered Australian charity helping to transform the lives of Bangladesh’s poorest people for over 20 years.
Despite significant improvements over this time, over 21 million Bangladeshis continue to live in extreme poverty.
We believe that with the right tools and support, even the most impoverished and marginalised people of Bangladesh can be empowered to overcome poverty by working together.
Determined to empower others – Shahanaz’s story
Mother of two young girls, Shahanaz’s world was shaken when her husband left her for another wife. With limited means to support her young family, Shahanaz was fortunate to join a Symbiosis group that started in her village.
Here, Shahanaz learned to read and write as well as developing a range of skills in hygiene, sanitation and nutrition to ensure the healthy growth of her girls. She also learned to save, sew and farm animals and crops.
“I now have income from four sources – cows and goats, chickens and ducks, cropping from the land and sewing. I am making progress educating my daughters”.
Shahanaz’ determination to ensure other women are similarly empowered has seen her start another group for twenty more women in her village.
This is not something she is doing alone but as a member of a government registered Community Based Organisation – a collective of Symbiosis groups in the local area who together are helping others as they themselves have been helped.
There are now 65 of these Community Based Organisations of empowered women like Shahanaz who are working together for the good of the most vulnerable people within their local communities. Find out more in our latest Annual Report.
Join us in empowering women like Shahanaz to learn, save and grow their way out of poverty by working together.
What We Do
Symbiosis works within communities with those who are illiterate and landless, mainly women in rural areas, and other disadvantaged groups such as ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.
Connect those in greatest need to a Symbiosis Group to gain a functional education while learning to save and equipping them for future opportunity.
Partner with Community Based Organisations to assist them to become change agents in their community, while supporting them to increase their economic capacity.
Provide vocational training in both urban and rural skills for adults, to enable income generation opportunities. Facilitate education pathways for children.
Facilitate access to primary health-care including maternal health, eye care and disability support, as well as providing access to clean water
Our Impact
By working together for good, your support in 2019 has helped to empower tens of thousands of the poorest people of Bangladesh to develop innovative ways to tackle poverty within their families and communities.
Check out what we achieved together over the last year in our latest annual report.
Join Us
Subscribe to our newsletter to hear regular stories of hope and resilience from the work of Symbiosis in Bangladesh.
