The driving force behind the charity CO-ID.
Meet the remarkable Australian, Fred Hyde.

As far as charities go, CO-ID may be low key, but it's incredibly effective at getting results, thanks to the leadership of Fred Hyde. In recognition of his tireless work over the years in Bangladesh, Fred was recently awarded a great honour - "Member of The Order of Australia" and can include AM after his name

Fred originally hails from Queensland . He is spending his retirement years away from the golf course and easy life in the sun, teaching us how to stretch foreign aid dollars as far as they will go. All the way to Bangladesh . In fact, few charities run as leanly and simply as CO-ID.

After military service and a successful career in retailing, Fred was drawn to the Indian Sub Continent region. This is where he became involved in children's charity work and started looking after an orphanage-farm run by an Australian aid agency.

This life-changing experience gave him a special insight into the needs of a child on Bhola Island in Bangladesh and sparked off an idea - to provide basic education such as reading, writing and maths, for as many local children as possible.

After years of laying the ground work, he established the CO-ID charity for children in 1991 on Bhola Island in Bangladesh, still considered to be one of the third world's poorest countries.

To date, CO-ID has helped to educate more than 50,000 children in 37 local schools, built through hard work, grit and making every charity dollar count.

CO-ID (Co-Operation In Development) is a very humble little charity organisation, nothing flashy or brash, and reflects the down-to-earth nature of Fred Hyde. Today, Fred and his volunteer team have seen the evolution of a remarkable charity concept grow into school network unlike any other in the region.

This achievement is even more amazing when you consider that at 85 years young, Fred still spends 8 months of the year on the ground in Bangladesh running CO-ID. He pays his own airfares to Bangladesh as well as other living expenses. When he is back in Australia he appreciates some of the finer things not available on Bhola Island, such as bread and butter and a three minute warm shower.

Australian Team, All Charity Volunteers

• Fred Hyde
• Len Willett, Chairman
• Tony Kent, Deputy Chair
• Olav Muurlink, Deputy Chair
• Merle Meneelly, Treasurer
• Russell Brown, Committee Member
• Kathy Mullis, Committee Member
• Rod Mulliss, Committee Member
• Patsy Slayter, Committee Member