Usually, these home births are assisted by women who have little training and no resources to help if there is a problem. Often when problems occur, they are preventable, yet when unmanaged are causing Bangladesh to have one of the highest numbers of newborn deaths in the world.

During COVID the risks increased with a resurgence of marrying off young teenage daughters among particularly poor families.

Symbiosis is committed to empowering the poorest and most vulnerable through forming groups, partnering with CBOs, and through our health and vocational training projects. Self-Help Groups have been successful in creating an environment for education and training and are one of the primary areas Symbiosis is working in to bring change in maternal and child health outcomes.

Having trained birth attendants is a huge need. Visiting midwives are walking alongside our Bangladeshi midwives, and strengthening links between communities, local clinics, and regional hospitals.

Shorburi’s story 

When Shorburi was pregnant with her fourth child she had a fever and couldn’t eat. During her pregnancy Shorburi attended community health education sessions run by Symbiosis midwife Prapti and had regular antenatal checkups with Prapti. In the check-ups and education classes Shorburi had learned about health issues in pregnancy and she realized she needed to go to the nearby government hospital. Her son Abushok was born there safely.

Shorburi joined in with training provided by the visiting Australian midwifery team which she was confident would prove useful in the future. She is also a member of a Self-Help group in her local area where members learn, save and grow their way out of poverty by working together.

Shorburi’s story is one of great hope. With many of Bangladesh’s 173 million people living in a constant cycle of extreme poverty, the outcomes are not healthy like Shorburi and Abushok.

By making a donation or purchasing The Gift of New Life card, more women like Shorburi and her son Abushok can receive support from Symbiosis throughout pregnancy and into early childhood. 

Thank you! You are giving women and children the very best start in life.