Meet the remarkable Australian: Fred Hyde

Fred had an idea...

At a time when his friends were looking forward to days filled with golf and a quiet beer, Fred Hyde had other ideas.

Since 1991, Fred and his volunteer team have raised funds to educate over 100,000 children in Bangladesh who would never have had the opportunity to learn..

bhola island students
Fred Hyde 2012

From Queensland to Bangladesh

Fred originally hailed from Queensland. He was 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.

In recognition of his tireless work over the years in Bangladesh, Fred was awarded Member of The Order of Australia and Queensland Senior of the Year. Fred Hyde passed away in 2016 and his team of volunteers are carrying on his work.

Where it all started

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 developing world’s poorest countries.

Bhola island child
humble beginnings

From humble beginnings...

To date, more than 100,000 children have had their education in 57 Fred Hyde primary schools and pre-schools. Fred saw his humble little charity grow into the largest provider of independent education in Bangladesh, delivering in the gaps where government fails to. His volunteer team is committed to keeping Fred’s legacy moving forward.

INTO AN EXCITING EDUCATION NETWORK