Shepherd Centre Father of the Year awarded to David Halder

DAVID Halder has been named the Australian Father’s Day Council, community father of the year for his work with his own Bangladeshi charity helping impoverished children.

Father of the Year David Halder with his wife Namita, sons Nathan and Mark and daughter-in-law Samantha.

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SPEND time with your children and love them — and unplug that technology.

That is the simple wisdom of Community Father of the Year recipient David Halder.

The Seven Hills resident said he was honoured to receive the award from the Australian Father’s Day Council and children’s charity Shepherd Centre.

“It’s a very hi-tech era now with everybody on their computer, spending less time with their children,” he said.

“Little ones need more attention and encouragement.

“It is so important for fathers to love their children and keep loving them as they grow up.”

Mr Halder is a father to two adult sons, Nathan, 35, and Mark, 33. He has also been a fatherly figure to thousands of children through his charity work in Bangladesh.

David Halder with his sons Nathan and Mark. David has been named the Australian Father’s Day Council and children’s charity Shepherd Centre Community Father of the Year.

Born in Bangladesh, he came to Australia in 1979 to study theology.

It was while he was doing missionary work in his home country that he saw the need to help disadvantaged and orphan children.

He established H.E.L.P Bangladesh in 1990 to provide children with food, accommodation, education and medical care.

For his 26 years of work helping children in Bangladesh, Mr Halder was awarded the Community Father of the Year Award.

“It makes me so proud to see little children grown up into adulthood and getting jobs and having children of their own,” he said.

“Mostly I am very happy that kids who didn’t have hope (are) standing on their own feet, that’s really rewarding.”

David Halder of Seven Hills established his own charity with his wife in Bangladesh in 1990 to provide children with food, accommodation, education and medical care. David Halder

Shepherd Centre chief executive Jim Hungerford said Mr Halder was a wonderful role model.

“He’s a fantastic parent to his two children, but also he’s done brilliant community service work as well,” he said.

“He’s very self-sacrificing. He’s put in a huge amount of time and effort to make a huge difference to the lives of children in Bangladesh.”

The Community Father of the Year Award aims to celebrate the vital role that fathers play within families and in the wider community.

Past winners include basketballer Andrew Gaze, Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith, Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond, Air Chief Marshal (retired) Angus Houston, former director and chief executive officer of the Taronga Conservation Society Australia Guy Cooper, author of best-selling autobiography Mao’s Last Dancer Li Cunxin and former Swans coach Paul Roos.

For more information on David’s work visit globalrecordings.net/en/447