Tragedy has struck the humanitarian world with the passing of Trisha Silvester at 79, a devoted charity founder who left an indelible mark on the lives of countless mothers and children in rural Bangladesh. Her remarkable journey began in the 1970s after witnessing a television programme that inspired her to meet Canadian aid worker Sandra Simpson – an encounter that would change the course of her life forever.
Silvester's compassion and determination led her to travel to Dhaka in 1977, where she founded Families for Children (UK) to raise funds for Simpson's orphanage project. It was there that she met two young girls, Sukuri and Hasina, whom she later adopted and brought back to the UK to complete her family.
In 1981, a pivotal partnership formed between Silvester and British Airways flight attendant Pat Kerr. Together, they envisioned something incredible – Sreepur Village, a purpose-built sanctuary located two hours north of Dhaka. Established in 1989, this remarkable village has provided refuge to thousands of women and children facing extreme poverty and hardship. At any given time, it accommodates around 350 people, offering not only safety but also vital vocational training for mothers and education for children.
Funding for the village came from an unexpected source: Christmas cards produced by women in the community earning a fair wage. Trisha Silvester's dedication to the cause was recognised when she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2001, in recognition of her outstanding services to charity and children overseas.
But Silvester's impact extended far beyond her charity work. She was also a shrewd businesswoman who studied for an MBA at Greenwich University in the late 1990s. During this time, she founded two digital businesses – Answercall Limited and Computer Literacy Limited – while raising her children independently after her marriage ended in 1983.