June 2008

Welcome to the first issue of the Symbiosis Newsletter for 2008. Sorry that we have not formally communicated with you for a while, but much has been happening in Symbiosis in Bangladesh and in Australia as we move the organization forward in its new life as Symbiosis International. We promise to send out more regular newsletters from now on.
Life for the majority of Bangladeshis continues to be tough - when was it not so? The floods and Cyclone Sidr last year destroyed much of the rice crop and the effects of that, combined with the world shortage of food, are still affecting average Bengalis – seen in long queues of people waiting for rice from aid stations.
But that’s why we are here and why Symbiosis exists. It only increases the urgency of the work we are involved in. Symbiosis continues to grow. Our Bengali staff are becoming more educated and skilled and are being provided with more tools to improve their outreach. Village children are being educated, women are being empowered through basic education, families are healthier because they are learning about nutrition and about more effective ways to grow vegetables and families are earning more income as a result of participation in savings groups. Lives are being transformed in a way that is long term and sustainable.
 

The Annual Report has been split into six sections, the first being the 'introduction and overview' and then following sections detail the five different programs that Symbiosis maintains.

Click on the label to open the PDF files in a new window.