Jane F. McBride

Co-founder & CEO, Friends of Thai Daughters

Industry : Advocacy

For more than two decades, Jane F. McBride has worked with girls in northern Thailand at risk of trafficking, exploitation and child marriage. As co-founder and CEO of Friends of Thai Daughters, she has shaped an approach in which protection is only the beginning. Education, safe housing, leadership development and long-term opportunity are all part of the equation.

The results are measured in lives as much as programmes. Friends of Thai Daughters has helped hundreds of girls continue their education, with many progressing to university and careers and becoming leaders in their communities. Their achievements, in turn, offer examples to younger generations and strengthen the families around them.

McBride also recognises that vulnerability cannot be separated from economics. Initiatives such as Golden Triangle Pickleball and Tantawan Tented Camp in Chiang Rai bring social enterprise, sport and sustainable tourism into the organisation’s orbit, creating local jobs and income while giving visitors a closer connection with northern Thailand.

Underpinning it all is a long view. McBride’s work emphasises partnership, listening and sustained engagement with local communities rather than quick interventions. By linking education with economic opportunity, she has helped Friends of Thai Daughters evolve beyond conventional charity – building a model in which young women and their communities have greater scope to shape their own futures.