Who are we
Cobra and Mongoose Charity Group was founded by Michael Symons in 2003. Michael, from the Northern Beaches of Sydney Australia, was moved by a visit to Sri Lanka in 2003 during the bitter civil war and left wanting to help the many people ravished by the war. Michael set up the charity primarily to help support the many orphans left by the war. The first project was support for a girl’s orphanage in Kandy, financing a new kitchen and washing facilities. Our group of fundraisers and donors now positively impact the lives of thousands across Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Laos, Ethiopia and Rwanda.
Cobra and Mongoose Charity Group is a Registered Public Benevolent Institution.
Our projects
The majority of our projects are focused on giving under privileged children the opportunity to get an education or to sleep with a roof over their heads. This includes financing schools and educational programs in India, Bangladesh and Ethiopia. The types of projects we support include the following:
- Teaching community members teaching skills in remote areas
- Building amenities for schools including kitchens and dining rooms
- Building boarding schools in remote areas of Bangladesh so children can attend high schools
- Providing stationary and learning materials
- Programs to teach self worth and confidence
- Funding homes for orphans and youth with special needs
How we fund our projects
All project funding comes from fundraising and donor support. We run regular events through the year to raise money and are proud to say that every dollar we make goes directly into our projects. We have no paid staff and everyone involved in the charity volunteers. We all share the same passion and goal of improving the lives of under privileged people and communities in our world.