Patricia Ann, mother of the rootless

‘How are you, mother?’ A child softly greets a 70-year-old British woman in Bengali. The woman replies in Bengali, “I’m fine. How are you? And what are you doing?”

The woman is British philanthropist Patricia Ann Vivian, dubbed as mother of the rootless. She is the founder of ‘Shishu Polli Plus’ located in the village Tengra of Sreepur, Gazipur. The ‘Shishu Polli Plus’ starts its journey in 1989. It helps rehabilitate hopeless and hapless children and mothers.

The organisation helps destitute mothers develop their vocational skills to have a better life. ‘Shishu Polli Plus’ has a primary school, sports grounds, crafts centre, paper factory, fruit garden and a mosque.

After completing her under-grads at the King’s College, Patricia joined the British Airways as a cabin crew. She then visited Bangladesh many times. In 1980, Patricia, paid a visit to an ashram named ‘Family For Children’ at Farmgate in Dhaka. Listening to the stories of the ill-fated people, she decided to work to rehabilitate distressed mothers and children.

Later, she quit her job with the airlines and started her rehabilitation efforts in Bangladesh in rented presmies for 120 mothers and children. She spent her all savings to open a permanent centre in Gazipur. Later, the chairman of the British Airways and a few of its employees also provided assistance for the children and mothers. Patricia has trained a group of women cricketers and they have now formed a cricket team named ‘Bhaoalika Women’s Cricket Team’. They recently took part in tournament in Sreepur.

During a visit to the centre, the mothers and children were seen busy at work. They were making all sorts of handicrafts. The children were playing in the open space of the rehabilitation centre.

Patricia was awarded Bangladesh citizenship for her outstanding work for the destitute.

Patricia’s husband Derek Palmer works at a multinational company back in their home country.

Patricia said, “This year we are working on three themes –empowerment, freedom, and dignity of women and children.”

“They are learning how to use the internet, online banking and so many things which will equip them to cope with the changing world,” he added.

Since 8 April 2019, the ‘Shishu Polli Plus’ shelters 512 women and children. So far 1,078 mothers and 3,385 children have been rehabilitated through the centre.

Gazipur’s deputy commissioner Dewan Mohammad Humayun Kabir said that Patiricia is a exemplary global model. She has devoted her entire time here for the people of Bangladesh.

*This piece, originally published in Prothom Alo print, has been rewritten in English by Toriqul Islam