Mission
Friendship, sportsmanship, respect and integrity are the pillars of this project. Its core aim is to create opportunities and bring positive change to the lives of children who can benefit physically and psychologically from learning tennis.
The key takeaways for each child are the life-skills they learn and transfer from tennis to everyday experiences throughout their lives.
Values
Introducing tennis to children throughout Rwanda who need guiding hands and small bridges to help them discover the joy and benefits of a sport that instills life-skills and core values in each individual's character.
Vision
Our program is benefitting children in need, primarily in the poorest socio-economic areas of Rwanda, by inviting them to learn tennis at designated facilities, playgrounds and refugee camps.
The program supports an expanding team of professionally-trained coaches by donating equipment including racquets, balls, nets, athletic clothing, tennis shoes and the construction of tennis courts. Funding for all these goods and services depends on contributions from individual and corporate partners.
Our Approach
The TRCF Board takes a holistic approach with its strategy. It understands social change cannot be achieved through monetary contributions alone.
With Joseline Umulisa as the TRCF's Co-Founder and Head Teacher, we have a leader who has lived the experiences of many of those facing hardships and can empathize and understand their individual stories.
This is an often overlooked aspect of philanthropy because personal testimony represents the value in acknowledging harsh realities in order to appreciate how much progress needs to be made.
In short, having shared experiences can be a powerful motivator in philanthropy. It authenticates expressions of understanding and elevates the lived experiences of those being helped.
Our teams of philanthropists who commit their time, expertise and leverage their personal networks, combine those invaluable assets to empower others and mobilize social change.
The TRCF Board's strategy includes contacting influential people with various skills and backgrounds who can help ignite additional support and collaboration.
Some examples include:
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Free access to the United States Professional Tennis Association ('USPTA') library's teaching programs for children - those programs and materials having been developed by professional researchers, then time-tested and field-tested in poor socio-economic urban and rural communities.
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Former ATP professional tennis player, Mark Woodforde, an Olympian, member of the Tennis Hall of Fame and International Tennis Federation Council ('ITF'). He is actively involved in pursuing opportunities to create an ITF teaching academy in Africa where suitable candidates can be trained, using USPTA methodologies to introduce tennis and its life-skills values to children, then apply those teaching skills by going to poorer Districts in a country like Rwanda and helping children improve their lives.
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Teams of highly certified tennis teachers and elementary school teachers from North America and Europe who are volunteering their time and expertise to travel to Rwanda at their own expense to provide support, as directed, by the TRCF Board.
TRCF Board
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Joseline Umulisa, TRCF, Co-Founder & Head Coach
Joseline is the Co-Founder and Head Coach of Tennis Rwanda Children’s Foundation. She serves as Principal Advisor to the TRCF Board which is a requirement of the Rwanda Development Board (‘RDB’)
She has been one of Rwanda’s best tennis professional players since 2007 and has held Rwanda’s Number One ranking since 2008.
Over her long and illustrious tennis career in Rwanda, she has won a combined 15 trophies for different competitions. She has represented Rwanda in different regional and international tournaments including ITF Junior Championships and the Fed Cup (Billie Jean King Cup).
She received formal tennis professional training in South Africa and has USPTA Coaching accreditations.
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Afrique Ramba, Managing Partner, Property Development
Afrique is Chairman of TRCF Board.
He is an Investor and Finance Professional with a track record of success in Investment Banking, Financial management and Fund Management.
He has more than 12 years’ experience in Senior Management and Directorate Level positions within the Finance sector in Rwanda consistently providing financial guidance to major investment projects that enables them to ensure fund management is underpinned by sound financial models.
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Ntoudi Moyelo, Managing Director, Mchezo
Ntoudi has more than 20 years experience as a Banking and Finance executive specializing in emerging markets and highly regulated financial centers.
He has experience in structuring partnerships with Financial Development Institutions, Government and the Private Sector, covering SME development, capital markets, financial inclusion, funds services, compliance & risk management services in Africa, Asia and Europe.
He is currently the Chief Officer at Kigali International Financial Centre and Managing Director of MCHEZO Games. He is also an active tennis player and financial supporter of tennis programs and tournaments.
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Charles Haba, Managing Director, Century Real Estate Group, Rwanda
Charles read law at the University of Rwanda and has more than 20 years’ experience in Real Estate and Housing Finance in both the public and private sector. Today he runs Century Real Estate Ltd, a top property business in Rwanda (www.centuryrealestategroup.com), which has more than 200,000sqm, in its property portfolio.
Charles is a Director/Investor in different companies in the domains of Private Equity, Venture Capital, Financial Solutions, Real Estate, Entertainment, and Parking Solutions among others.
As a family man and father off the business field, Charles has a passion for sports (especially cricket & tennis) and media.
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Bonny Musefano, Rwanda Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bonny is Director at Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the European Department.
Among various positions held in public Service, he has been Commercial Attache at the Rwanda Embassy in Washington DC and senior officer at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
Prior to joining public service he worked with MTN Rwanda, as lead in implementing the franchise project that expanded the sales and distribution footprint countrywide.
His education background is a degree in Economics and an MBA.
He’s a sports lover and enjoys Tennis and golfing.
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Pierre Celestin Rwabukumba, CEO, Rwanda Stock Exchange
Pierre graduated from the University of Buffalo (New York USA) with a Bachelor degree in Economics, then completed an International post Graduate Advanced Management Program (AMP) for Executives at Strathmore Business School. He worked as a stock broker in compliance, operations and institutional investor sales before joining the Central Bank of Rwanda’s Capital Market Development Project in Rwanda.
Pierre is Chairman of the East African Securities Exchanges Association (EASEA) and Chief Executive officer of Rwanda Stock Exchange ltd (RSE).
Pierre is an active tennis player and financial supporter of tennis programs in Rwanda.
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Jai Nettimi, Director of Tennis, Indian Wells Tennis Garden
Jai Nettimi is a Tennis Professional at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. He is a USPTA and USTA Youth tennis certified ITA and CIF Coach, who has been voted a top-50 tennis professional in the Southern California region.
Involved in the Desert tennis community for over 23 years, Jai has extensive experience in both teaching and coaching the sport, as well as management of facilities and clubs. Jai was born in Southeast India but moved to the United States as a young child; eventually attending the University of California Santa Cruz and winning back to back NCAA tennis titles in 1995 and 1996. After graduating, he played on the ATP satellite tour before settling down as a full-time resident in the Coachella Valley. Jai is married with two children, and loves travelling with his family and watching his two young boys compete in sports.
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Bruce Lipka, Director of Racquets, Woodmont Country Club
Bruce Lipka currently serves as the Director of Racquets at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland. Bruce is a Master Professional with the USPTA, certified with the PTR, and a graduate of the USTA High Performance Coaching Program. Bruce has been recognized internationally by both the USPTA and PTR as the Tour Coach of the Year for his work with several WTA Tour players including 2023 US Open Champion Erin Routliffe.
Prior to entering the private club sector, Bruce was a highly acclaimed collegiate coach, garnering championships and coach of the year honors with stops at the University of Miami (FL), the University of Florida and Miami University (OH). Bruce has coached NCAA Champions, Grand Slam Champions and multiple US Junior National Champions. Bruce has worked as a performance consultant with several of the premiere programs in collegiate tennis. Bruce spent 3 years on the ATP Tour prior to entering the coaching ranks. He continues to play competitively representing the United States annually in international team events. Bruce has 3 children, Jessica, David and Samantha. He and his wife Jodi live in Derwood, Maryland with their 2 dogs Frankie and Reggie and always have room for their tennis "children" who stop by for training and a visit.
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Phil Cox, International Tennis Club of Canada & USA - Philanthropy Committee member
Phil was educated in Australia, with post-graduate schooling in Europe and North America.
He is a global business executive with over 40 years of leadership and entrepreneurial experience. His business career cuts across a range of sectors including industrial, commercial and consumer markets. His business experience is primarily linked to building and growing brand name products and services in global markets.
During the past 25 years, Phil dedicated part of his professional time to pro bono lecturing at academic, commercial and industrial organizations in North America, Asia and Latin America. He also serves on several corporate and advisory boards in North America, China, Europe and Africa.
He is an avid tennis player, two-time gold medal winner (2013 & 2017) at the World Masters Games and member of the International Tennis Club in the USA and Canada.
Our Partners
We are deeply appreciative and grateful to the following individuals, organizations and corporations who have donated equipment and contributed funds to help us make TRCF successful.
Individuals
Jai Nettimi: Director of Tennis, Indian Wells Tennis Garden, California & Board Member, TRCF
Caerwyn Evans: Founder, Wyn Tennis Academy, USA
Steve & Hana Guy: Co-Founders, Guy Tennis Academy, Germany
Bruce Lipka: Director of Coaching & Program Development, TRCF, USPTA ‘Tim Gullikson Coach of the Year Award, 2023’, US I.C. President’s Cup Captain
Margaret Lumia: Women’s Captain, US I.C., & Board Member, TRCF
Phil Cox: Co-Founder, TRCF, Board Member, TRCF Philanthropy Board Member US I.C. & I.C. Canada
Casey Maus: Certified Professional Coach and Racquet Technician, USA
Jonathan Renker: Director, Digital Marketing, TRCF
Greg & Dawn Reichman
Federico Camacho: Founder, Three Sixty Tennis, Boca Raton FL, USA
Steve & Dawn Willoughby
Organizations
The International Tennis Club of Canada
The International Tennis Club of the United States
International Tennis Club Philanthropy (UK)
Renker Family Foundation, California
Mchezo, Rwanda
Rwanda Stock Exchange
Rwanda Ministry of Sports
Corporations
The Kigali Marriott
Cali-Fame of Los Angeles, Inc. California
Ocean Front Entertainment, California
AW Agency – Digital Design & Development, California
Klipper USA
The Vintage Club, Indian Wells, California
Sandpoint Tennis Club, Seattle, Washington
Woodmont Country Club, Rockville, Maryland