Mother of 3, Mousumi envisions a future not just for herself, but for her entire community, a society free from unemployment and corruption, where every child can learn safely and contribute to the building of a developed nation.
However, Mousumi hasn’t always had this much hope for the future.
For years she faced severe and compounding hardships rooted in persistent poverty. Married at a young age, Mousumi relied on her husband, Majnu, whose irregular work as a day labourer brought only a meagre and unreliable income. They owned land that could be cultivated, however it failed to yield consistent or sufficient crops. Frequently, they would survive on half-meals, enduring what Mousumi describes as an “inhumane existence”.
On top of this, poor housing and frequent sickness plagued the family, maintaining a bitter cycle that was both a cause and consequence of their poverty. Their economical position carried a deep social cost.
“Because of our poverty, people in society gave us no importance and showed us no respect,” Mousumi recalls.
In 2010, Mousumi had an encounter that would change everything. A field worker visited her village and shared about the programs and work of Symbiosis. Driven by a hunger for change, Mousumi joined 19 other women to enrol in Symbiosis’ 8 month functional education course.
The program brought her literacy, awareness and a community to belong to, alongside the confidence and motivation to take action.
Inspired by stories shared during lessons, the same 20 women formed a savings group that year, which they named “Jui Women’s Development Society”. Group members started contributing just 10 Taka a week, the equivalent of 12 cents AUD.
Over the years, Symbiosis continued to walk alongside the group, as they continued to save and hold regular “yard meetings” to discuss financial literacy, health, and community development.
Earlier in 2026, Mousumi boldly secured a 100,000 BDT loan from the group to buy a second-hand auto-bike for her husband, Majnu. The investment has paid off instantly, allowing them to establish a steady driving business that boosted their monthly income to 20,000 BDT. Now, she confidently manages household expenses, covers her children’s education, and comfortably meets her loan repayments.
Not stopping at this, Mousumi has embraced her own inner entrepreneur, rearing poultry, cattle and goats at home to further diversify the family income.
Her next goals are to establish a large-scale cattle farm and ensure her three children receive quality education.
Yet, the transformation goes deeper still, not only is Mousumi an equal partner in household decision-making, she is a highly respected community leader, no longer socially invisible and ignored by her neighbours. She regularly leads yard meetings to mentor other women on issues ranging from environmental awareness to preventing child marriage.
Reflecting on her 16-year journey, Mousumi shares:
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and thanks to Symbiosis Bangladesh for their support, guidance, and encouragement, which have been instrumental in bringing about this positive transformation in my life.”
We also thank Entrust who partners with Symbiosis to support the Jamalpur Sherpur Development Project (JSDP) the project Mousumi is a part of.
At Symbiosis, we believe that poverty IS preventable. When you give someone access to what they need to thrive, they can rewrite their own future.
Want to learn more about how our community-led projects are empowering families across Bangladesh? Sign up to our newsletter below and follow us on social media @symbiosis_int_ngo