For many women in rural Bangladesh, life has long been defined by the limitations of poverty—a trajectory that often feels impossible to escape. However, through the work of Symbiosis and our Jamuna River Development Project (JRDP), this cycle is being systematically interrupted.
By integrating literacy, vocational training, and community-based financial support, Symbiosis is proving that when women are empowered with a support system, the impact is felt across entire villages and into the next generation.
The Power of Small Savings: Nurjahan’s Story
28-year-old Nurjahan Khatun and her husband, Selim Reza, once faced a bleak future of unemployment and instability. Married in 2018 and lacking formal education, they lived in a state of constant shortage, struggling to provide for their young son. Beyond the financial strain, there was a lack of awareness regarding health, hygiene, and children’s rights – a common byproduct of systemic poverty.
Change came when Nurjahan joined and was warmly welcomed into a savings group in her area established with the help of Symbiosis. Starting with a modest monthly saving of 100 Taka – the equivalent of just over $1 AUD – she began to create options for her family and gain an education. Through her involvement in her group, Nurjahan grew in her understanding of savings, health, environmental management, and social rights.
By 2024, Nurjahan’s initiative paid off. Utilising 10,000 Taka from her group savings and a 20,000 Taka loan, the family purchased an auto-rickshaw for Selim. Nurjahan also completed vocational sewing training and acquired her own machine. Today, they are a dual-income household. Nurjahan is an advocate, educating neighbors on the dangers of child marriage and the importance of girls’ education along with sharing all she has learnt about hygiene, health, land care and business. She is now planning for a future that was once unimaginable.
Literacy as a Foundation: Lovely’s Story
While Nurjahan used vocational training to pivot her future, 35-year-old Lovely Khatun shows how long-term investment and literacy can create generational change.
Before connecting with the JRDP team, Lovely’s family lived on the fringes of their community. Both she and her husband were illiterate, leaving them in extreme poverty and social isolation. The path to change began in 2010 when Lovely enrolled in adult functional literacy classes, an initiative of Symbiosis International. Over eight months, she learned the basic reading and writing skills she never had access to in childhood.
Empowered by her new literacy, she and the other members of her group began saving just 20 Taka per week (less than 30 cents AUD). With the guidance of her group, Lovely began to strategically invest. In 2022, she secured a loan to purchase a cow, followed by a second loan for an auto-van for her husband.
The result has meant life-altering stability. The initial investment in livestock has grown significantly; the original cow had a calf – now a healthy bull and the same cow is pregnant again. But for Lovely, the greatest impact is on the next generation. All four of Lovely’s daughters are now enrolled in school, breaking the cycle of illiteracy that once held her and her husband back.
A Proven Approach
Lovely and Nurjahan represent the heart of the Symbiosis mission. Whether they are part of a group from the beginning, or join an already established group, they are working together, learning from each other, and saving together. Together group members are moving from a place of struggle and uncertainty to a life where hope for the future finally feels like a reality.
As Lovely Khatun shared:
“There was a time when we could not manage food every day and no one trusted us. Now I can read, save money, raise cattle, and support my family. I no longer feel helpless. I believe my daughters will have a better future than mine.”
These stories prove that when we invest in women, we aren’t just changing a single life—we are rewriting the future for their children and their communities.
Stay Connected to the Impact
Want to see more stories of transformation? Join our community of supporters and receive bi-monthly updates by subscribing to our newsletter below and hear how your partnership is helping to interrupt the cycle of poverty for families in Bangladesh.