While in Bangladesh, John Davis (Chief Program Officer) and I had the chance to meet with three of ten enthusiastic groups which have started in Keraniganj, a new working area for Symbiosis.
Our team members described how difficult it was to start somewhere new. People were suspicious of the surveys and they didn’t quite understand what Symbiosis might want. Besides, some had been tricked by another “apparent” organisation that had fled with their funds.
However, over time, our experienced staff were able to show the impact of our work in the lives of other inspirational women like Ator Banu. And they warmed to the idea of holding onto their own savings. The older women who had never even had the chance to go to school recognised the value of learning to read and write.
In time, the groups formed. We felt privileged to meet them so early in their journey.
Baluchar Odhika Somity (Baluchar Rights Association)
Baluchar Odhika Somity (Pictured above) meets each Sunday as a savings group. One member shared that saving was so difficult at home. The pressure to give their child a small treat like an ice-cream would often override their need to invest in the children’s future. Together, they have saved 20,500 taka and two members have already taken loans for income generation projects.
Those who are illiterate have started learning to read and write under the instruction of their group president who studied up to Grade 8.
Baunakandi Rupanto Somity (Baunakandi Transformation Society)
These women meet every Tuesday afternoon. When asked about the benefit of meeting regularly together, the group all agreed:
“Together we can care for each other and talk about our problems together”
Biti Islam has studied up to class 9, and she will be teaching eight members who have never been to school. Many of them were older women who wrote their names with pride on the whiteboard for us.
Learning to read is important for helping their own children who are at school, and being able to read and sign documents. However, most importantly, it will help their invest in their own future. “Our children will not necessarily take care of us and so we must learn to take care of ourselves”.
Baunakandi Gollan Somity (Baunakandi Welfare Association)
The women of Baunakandi Gollan Somity warmly welcomed us after a long wait. They had been learning the fifth letter of the alphabet before we arrived and were delighted to demonstrate what they had learned so far.
Their teacher was the daughter and granddaughter of two of the group members. She had finished high school and her patience in teaching the older ladies was a joy to see (as was the pride in Mum’s eyes!).
When asked about the benefits of the group, Nurjahan gratefully shared that Symbiosis had installed a sanitary latrine behind her home. When asked why she was the one to get it, they shared that she was the only one without one! Nurjahan was also one of the first to take out a loan to help purchase a goat. She is inspired and excited about life and its possibilities. This was even more meaningful when Nurjahan shared that her second child, a son, had cerebral palsy, and life has been hard.