SQUASH UPLIFT
FOUNDATION
The Squash Uplift Foundation is a UK-based charitable incorporated organisation dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and cultivating talent for the revival of squash in Pakistan.
OUR MISSION
We provide nutrition, education, and squash tuition to children from amongst Pakistan’s most disadvantaged populations. In doing so, we aim to uncover and subsequently cultivate regional, national and world-class level Pakistani squash talent.
Unlocking Potential Through Learning
EDUCATION
Empowering individuals through education and skill-building, we integrate squash with learning initiatives to foster personal growth, academic achievement, and lifelong opportunities.
Breaking Barriers, Building Futures
NUTRITION
Using sport as a catalyst for change, we provide healthy hot meals to all participants, helping disadvantaged individuals overcome economic barriers and build a brighter future.
Making Sport Accessible for All
SQUASH TUITION
Promoting inclusivity and participation in squash, we create opportunities for all skill levels to engage in the sport, develop physical well-being, and experience the benefits of an active lifestyle.
OUR STORY
In 2023, Squash Uplift founder Yawar Islam, employed as a head squash coach in London but visiting his home country of Pakistan, encountered a small boy at the Punjab Squash facility in Lahore.
The child, clearly from a highly disadvantaged background, was proudly clutching a squash racket, visibly his most precious possession. Yawar’s heart broke when he saw that the racket was broken beyond repair, almost certainly having been discarded by another player.
At that moment, he resolved that he had a mission and duty to harness his unique connections within the elite world of international squash, to bring opportunities for advancement to those in his home country who currently had none.
When he recounted this story to friends back in London they were equally moved and determined to help – and so the Squash Uplift Foundation was born.
THE TEAM
Our team brings together a diverse group of leaders, advisors, and champions from the worlds of sports, education, technology, and philanthropy. With decades of experience in coaching, leadership, and social impact, we are committed to creating opportunities for individuals to thrive. From former world-class athletes and coaches to business leaders, policymakers, and educators, our team works to empower communities, inspire the next generation, and drive meaningful change.
Yawar Islam, Founder
Yawar has been involved in squash for almost four decades. He has coached the National Team for Pakistan and has produced a number of National Champions. He is currently Head of Squash at The Queen’s Club in London, England.
Ray Eitel-Porter, Chairman
Ray Eitel-Porter is a Senior Advisor to Accenture for AI Safety and Ethics. He researches, publishes and advises government and corporations on Responsible AI, and has held senior leadership roles in consulting and industry internationally. He co-chairs the government’s Data Skills Taskforce, initiated the first national data science prize for schools, in association with TeenTech, and is a Governor of Kensington Prep School.
Mr. Gogi Alauddin, Ambassador
Gogi is one of the greatest Pakistani squash players of all time. During his career he reached No. 2 in the world rankings. He won the Pakistan Open and British Amateur Championships twice.
Mrs. Shabana Akhtar, Ambassador
Mrs. Akhtar was Pakistan’s first woman to compete at the Olympic Games when she took part in the women’s long jump in 1996. She is a 42-time Pakistan national champion across multiple disciplines from years 1989-98.
Ali Sheikh, Trustee & Treasurer
TBD
Daphne Siniscalco, Trustee
Daphne Adler Siniscalco has spent her career in management consulting, including 20 years with Bain & Company. She is the author of the Debunking series of evidence-based parenting books, and the parent of three children, one of whom is a highly dedicated squash player. Daphne has an MBA from Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Harvard College, and serves on the board of the Harvard Club of the UK.
Matt Muir, Trustee
Matt Muir is a chartered accountant working in the international charity sector. He is currently the Head of Finance at the Elton John AIDS Foundation. In his free time, Matt is a keen squash player.
Annika Engstrom Trustee & Safeguarding Lead
Annika Engstrom worked in the consumer goods industry at Kraft Heinz for 4 years before leaving to pursue a career in Psychology. She is a graduate of Harvard University, where she represented the undefeated National Champion squash team. In 2015 she represented Sweden at the World Junior Squash Championships in the Netherlands and reached a personal junior ranking of England #7. She continues to play squash regularly and is currently the ladies team captain and club champion at the Queen’s Club.
The Lord Aamer Sarfraz, Patron
Aamer Sarfraz is a Member of the House of Lords and was previously a Treasurer of the Conservative Party, including during the 2019 general election where the party won a historic 80 seat majority. He is a Venture Partner at Draper Associates (venture capital) and the founder of NetZeroAg, an agricultural technology business that works with tens of thousands of smallholder farmers in Asia. He is also Patron of The Lord Sarfraz Foundation, which delivers a range of philanthropic activities in rural Pakistan.
Ali Erfan, Advisor
Ali focuses on venture capital and private equity, most recently as a senior partner at 3i in London with a particular interest in clean technologies. Prior to joining 3i, Ali established three different businesses: a film production company making documentary films; a fashion design company based in New York; and a software-based risk management company. Ali is the founder of the Cogito Scholarship Foundation, which gives scholarships to gifted refugees to study at the most prestigious schools in the UK. He has an MBA from the London Business School and a degree in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University.
GET INVOLVED
Your support is vital to our mission. Whether through donations, volunteering, or partnerships, you can help us make a lasting impact. Together, we can provide opportunities for personal growth and community development through the dynamic sport of squash.
Bronze Donor: £1,000
Fund 1 player’s training, meals and academic support in Module 1 for a whole year.
Silver Donor: £5,000
Fund academic tutoring support for all participants for a whole year.
Gold Donor: £10,000
Fund nutritious after-school meals for players in all modules for a whole year.
Platinum Donor: £20,000
Fund all players in Module 1 for a whole year.
OR
Fund all players in Module 2 for 3 months.
For more information about our mission, our team, or how to get involved, please contact us at squashuplift@gmail.com or follow us on Instagram @squashupliftfoundation.