Symbiosis International

It gives me great contentment to write at the end of this 2006-07 activity year of Symbiosis Bangladesh. This year a team of energetic young professional has been developed who are working effectively and in good harmony with our existing and experienced staff. This team has been shaped in order to build the capacity of the organisation and to enable good cooperation with our beneficiaries, trust participants, NGO bureau and other local and government agencies.

Our main objective is to serve and empower those in the community who are living in the grip of poverty. This year Symbiosis Bangladesh and its staff have brought empowerment through both effective development work and by decentralising the organisation’s administration in order to better serve the poor.

The year 2006-07 represents another very important step in the development of Symbiosis Bangladesh. A new project, SPECS (Symbiosis Primary Eye Care Service) was commenced in 2006 with TEAR support. This project was the inspiration of Mrs Leah McClintock and meets the real need of preventive eye care and eye health education. This is a fitting complement to our existing cataract surgery program which has involved a stronger partnership with Vision Eye Hospital at Dhaka and BNSB at Mymensingh (who conduct eye camps within our working area). Special thanks go to them for their good partnership with us.

I am very thankful to BWAA, TEAR, Action Aid Australia, OGHS (USA) and the other local and foreign donors who continue to support our work. I am also thankful to Symbiosis Australia and DJ Yates -Chairman of Symbiosis International, Mr. Walter White, Mr. Peter van der Kooy, Rev. Lauran Dale Bethell, Rev Dr Stuart Robinson, Mr Graeme Barnden, Mr Chris Barnden, Brian McClelland and other members allied to our organization. I like to give special thanks to MA Lee, Mr Graeme Johnson and the other board members for their support and assistance. All of them have contributed greatly to the growth of Symbiosis Bangladesh.

This year Mr Jeff and Mrs Leah McClintock have made great contributions to the development of the organisation and its ability to serve the marginalised within Bangladesh. Nick and Nina Sampson also began to work with Symbiosis Bangladesh in April 2007. They are working to develop the capacity of our staff. I am thankful to all of them for their help and support.

After a successful year, I look to the future and to the prospect for the expansion of Symbiosis, and to the further development and transformation that Symbiosis brings to the poor.

Yours truly,

Abdul Mottalib Akand