Our Team

Ashok Rathod

Ashok Rathod

Founder & CEO, OSCAR Foundation

Belonging to Mumbai’s Ambedkar Nagar slum, Ashok witnessed children around him leaving education to earn money, falling prey to drugs and illegal activities. Personally, he discouraged many from taking this route, but realised that this challenge was more complex requiring a unique approach.

Rajeshwari Bhattacharyya

Rajeshwari Bhattacharyya

Co Founder & Chairperson, Percipere & Futuroot CEO, BCMGuru

A fitness freak, ultra runner and passionate contributor to women and child welfare, Rajeshwari (Rajee) is keen on furthering her contribution by associating with OSCAR Foundation.

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Rajee is the Co Founder & Chairperson, Percipere & Futuroot CEO, BCMGuru. She has around 30 years of professional experience with expertise in Organisation Tech Strategy, Process automation, Organisational change management, Business Process & Digital Transformation and Program management. She is an alumnus of INSEAD and a qualified Cost Accountant, carrying expertise in Blockchain & Cybersecurity with experience in Financial Services / Insurance & Media sectors.

Tarana Lalwani

Tarana Lalwani

Founding Partner, InnoVen Tripkle Blue Capital Services LLP

Tarana Lalwani is one of the founding partners at InnoVen Capital, where she heads sourcing and execution of venture debt transactions. She plays an active role within the portfolio companies which encompasses facilitating business development, and planning and guidance on further fund raises.

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Some of the investments lead by her are Elastic Run, Porter, Videoverse, Beepkart, Bharatpe, Servify etc. Prior to InnoVen she was a Principal at Seedfund, where Tarana sourced, evaluated and mentored early stage companies. She also works closely with the portfolio companies to get them to the next level of growth. Given her strong ties with angel groups like Mumbai Angels, where she was an active member and the venture investor community, Tarana continues to be involved in the early stage space mentoring and guiding founders on fund raising, strategy and business development, and dabbles a bit in some angel investing.
Tarana serves on CII Western Region Sub-Committee on Start ups and Entrepreneurship, is an Independent Director with India Bulls Real Estate, and an advisor to Auerolis an early stage sector agnostic fund.
Tarana started her career in New York with Morgan Stanley, following which she joined Radian, a financial services firm, in their structured finance group. Tarana holds an undergraduate degree from LaSalle University, and an MBA from Columbia Business School, USA.

Deepa Nair

Deepa Nair

Consultant, CommsCredible

Deepa Nair is a Communication Professional with over ten years of experience in Business Journalism and Public Relations. She has worked for some of India’s reputed publications like The Hindu.

Anil Rathod

Anil Rathod

Finance Manager, Teach for India

Anil Rathod is the Finance Manager of ‘Teach For India’ – an organization known for its nation-wide movement of outstanding college graduates and young professionals working towards eliminating educational inequity in India.

Dr Shilpi Sharma

Dr Shilpi Sharma

Chief Operating Officer

Shilpi is an experienced development professional with close to 18 years of experience in the social sector. She has diverse experience working in public health, education and sports for development.

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She earned her doctorate from Columbia University School of Social Work in New York and holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai. A strong advocate for gender equity and a believer in the efficacy of education and lifelong learning, Shilpi has worked with organizations like Magic Bus, Path International, Columbia Global Centers among others. She is also a recipient of the esteemed Vital Voices Women Lead India fellowship.

Lucinda Sowerbutts

Lucinda Sowerbutts

Director, OSCAR International

Lucinda is an independent Marketing & PR consultant, with experience in a diverse range of industries. She has worked with the OSCAR foundation, both in India and the UK since 2015.

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Lucinda has initiated many of the key OSCAR International programmes, including the UK School Tours, Child Sponsorship and the International Young Leader programme. Responsible for communications, fundraising and delivery of UK initiatives, she spends 6 weeks a year in India working closely with the team, ensuring the UK programmes are fit for purpose. Lucinda’s first UK school tour was made into a BAFTA winning television documentary and she recently won the Asian Voice, Charity Clarity Outstanding PR Award 2019. Lucinda is passionate about education and equal opportunities.

Elsa Varghese

Elsa Varghese

Head, Partnerships and Sustainability

Elsa holds a Masters in Social Psychology from Mumbai University and an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship from NMIMS University, Mumbai.

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Having started a string of internships right after her schooling years, she gained experience in various fields of social work. She has published a paper with the Emerald Emerging Markets Publishing House, UK on – ‘Empowering lives through football’. She spearheads the partnerships and sustainability efforts at OSCAR Foundation.

Priyank Chavan

Priyank Chavan

Senior Manager, Accounts

Priyank is a highly skilled finance professional with 14 years of experience in shipping operations, NGO accounting, statutory and internal audit, shipping finance, and teaching commerce.

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With expertise in financial management, internal controls, and compliance, Priyank excels in developing financial policies, maintaining cash flow, conducting audits, and ensuring regulatory compliance. His proficiency in MS Excel and Tally, along with his strong analytical skills, enables him to optimize financial performance and generate accurate reports. Priyank is a proactive communicator and collaborator, making him a valuable asset to any organization.

Sunita Rathod

Sunita Rathod

Manager, Fundraising

Sunita carries immense experience in the non-profit sector. She has been associated with OSCAR Foundation since 2014.

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She jump-started her career as a computer teacher, developing the curriculum for English, Hindi, Mathematics, Marathi, and computer skills. She progressed to becoming Project Head, spearheading volunteer engagement events, developing the foundation’s Child Sponsorship Programme, and identifying and coordinating with new and existing donors.

She is currently the Fundraising Manager at OSCAR Foundation, where she actively works towards expanding donor networking, writing proposals and grants, maintaining the OSCAR Child Sponsorship programme, and managing the relationship with OSCAR’s portfolio of individual donors. Sunita holds an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship from NMIMS (SVKM) and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mumbai University.

Shreeya Vaidya

Shreeya Vaidya

Manager, Human Resources and Administration

Shreeya is an accomplished HR professional with 14 years of experience as an HR Business Partner (HRBP).

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Specializing in the IT sector, she has successfully managed the entire employee lifecycle, demonstrating expertise in areas such as onboarding, performance management, talent acquisition, and employee welfare. Shreeya holds a Master’s Degree in Personnel Management, along with additional qualifications in event management, labour law, and corporate law. Her certifications as a lead auditor for ISO 9001 further showcase her commitment to quality management. Throughout her career, she has implemented effective HR strategies, resulting in improved employee engagement, enhanced productivity, and successful talent recruitment. With her comprehensive skill set and dedication to excellence, Shreeya is a valuable asset for any organisation in need of a strategic HR professional.

Govind Rathod

Govind Rathod

Manager - Curriculum and Training & Development

Govind studied Sports Management from Leipzig University, Germany and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mumbai University.

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Currently, Govind manages the curriculum and training, for programmes in Rajasthan and Karnataka, the Enabling Change programme where work with children with disabilities is involved and the Young Leader Project. His inspirational journey with OSCAR began when he joined as a participant in 2006 and became a Young Leader in 2010. With 14 years’ experience in the S4D field, Govind has trained more than 1000+ youths nationwide. He says, “Wherever Oscar started its projects, I played a key role in establishing them.” His impact has been far-reaching in regions including Jharkhand, Goa, Delhi, Visakhapatnam, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

Kumar Rathod

Kumar Rathod

Manager, Lakshya Football Club

Kumar has been associated with OSCAR Foundation since 2014. He started his career as a football coach with OSCAR and today manages Lakshya Football Club.

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He is dedicated to the development of grassroots football and oversees the overall streamlining and management of the programme. Kumar holds a ‘C’ Diploma license in Coaching (2024) from the AIFF (All India Football Federation) and a Diploma in Sports Business Management from Pyramid Sports, England. He has attended numerous national and international trainings, including the Manchester United Coaching Course Premier Skills Football Coaching Training and the International Grassroots Football Coach training in Mumbai with coaches from Bayer Leverkusen and Queens Park Rangers.

Rahul Gharpure

Rahul Gharpure

Manager, Football and Life Skills Programme

Rahul is OSCAR’s sports management professional with a Bachelor’s degree and a FIFA/CIES Executive Programme Diploma in Sports Management.

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Over the years, his sporting journey has taken him through roles at Sports Authority of India, India On Track, Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools, and the LOC of the U17 FIFA World Cup. These experiences have honed his skills in business development, strategic planning, grassroots development, and event operation. Rahul enjoys playing sports for leisure and is committed to advancing the same in India.

Akash Pawar

Akash Pawar

Football & Life Skills Education Programme - Karnataka

Akash is from a small rural village called Thangundi Yadgir Karnataka. He joined OSCAR in January 2017 and is the coordinator of the Karnataka programme.

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He is currently doing a Masters in Social Work. Many children in the villages here do not attend school and the minority who do go to school usually end up dropping out early. His primary goal at OSCAR is to not only encourage children to enrol in school but also avoid school dropout by proving the coaches with the tools to teach these children life skills, notably the importance of education.

Rupesh Jadhav

Rupesh Jadhav

Football & Life Skills Education Programme - Daman

Rupesh joined OSCAR Foundation as a young leader in 2012 before becoming a full time employee in 2015.

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He started his OSCAR journey as a football coach for both the I-League U15 team and the senior team. In the process, he also completed his licenses to become a coach and today is a now a qualified AFC C licence coach. Today he manages the Daman project of OSCAR.

Stuart Christie

Stuart Christie

Co-Founder

Stuart has over 15 years working in the Football for Good sector. He first came to know about OSCAR in 2009 when he met Ashok on a conflict resolution course in Jordan. Captivated by Ashok’s passion and desire to change his community through football, Stuart and Dan Lawson visited India in 2010 to set up and deliver OSCAR’s first young leaders training.

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Following the training, they made a commitment to all the young leaders that they would continue to support the organisation. Since 2010, Stuart has worked closely with Ashok to help to develop the organisation, such as: forming new strategic partnerships; applying for grant funding; developing OSCAR life skills curriculum; delivering staff or young leaders training; developing an organisational strategy and setting up an International arm to the charity.

Gaurav Chaturvedi

Gaurav Chaturvedi

Partner, Kae Capital

Gaurav is a Partner at Kae Capital and leads the fund’s investment in multiple categories like Software and e-commerce. He is actively involved with founders at an early stage as a mentor/Board member, advising them as they build their businesses.

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Before joining Kae Capital, Gaurav Co-Founded and ran India’s one of the largest experiential STEM education companies, ThinkLABs from 2006-16 before successfully exiting it to strategic buyers. While running the company for 10 years, he closely saw how experiential education impacts children’s life skills from an early age. An avid football lover, he believes in the power of sports to bring about personal growth in an individual. Gaurav completed his BTech from IIT Bombay in 2004.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaturvedig/

Gaurav Jaitly

Gaurav Jaitly

Head, India Equities

Gaurav is head of the India Equities franchise. He is responsible for the firm’s franchise relationships and manages the India sales and execution services team. Previously, Gaurav was head of India Equities Sales and Execution Services since 2016.

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He joined Goldman Sachs in 2010 as a vice president on the Institutional Equities desk and covered clients across multiple geographies. Gaurav was named managing director in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, Gaurav worked at UBS and Reliance Equities as an Equity Research analyst covering the US and Indian Telecom sectors. Gaurav earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Mumbai University in 1997 and an MBA in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 2002. He is a CFA Charterholder.

linkedin.com/in/gaurav-jaitly-03898a1/

Neeti Mehra

Neeti Mehra

Director- Indecent Foods

Neeti is a Sales & Marketing professional with 23 years of experience across Media, Retail, Financial Services and Hospitality Services. She has built a cloud kitchen business as an entrepreneur to create, launch and grow multiple food brands before exiting earlier this year.

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Her years as a professional have been consumed with giving direction to business through GTM Strategy & Monetiaztion, Customer Identification- Segmentation- LCM, Distribution Sales and New Business Development. She also works with early-stage startups as a mentor and guide.

Ashish Shah

Ashish Shah

COO, MPL Foundation

Ashish is a highly experienced Executive in the Sports and Technology fields in: India, USA, HK, China and Thailand. He was instrumental in the setup of 2 Professional Football Clubs, 1 IT Software Company and 2 Multinational Insurers’ greenfield projects in India, demonstrating the ability to build sustainable businesses from the startup phase.

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Currently leading Roundglass Sports operations – a multi sport entity leveraging football, hockey, tennis and golf to transform the lives of youth in Punjab.

Ashish has a deep understanding of and a strong network in the Indian Sports ecosystem, especially due to his involvement in the Indian Super League from its very inception in 2014.

Ashish graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, majoring in Computer Engineering and Business. He is a frequent speaker at industry seminars and panels. Ashish is also a Visiting Faculty at one of India’s premier sports management programs.

Nathaniel Parker

Nathaniel Parker

A British stage and screen actor, Nathaniel Parker is most recently known for his commanding portrayal of Henry VIII in Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy. Nat first became involved with OSCAR in 2017, hosting the touring kids at his UK home.

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Later, whilst filming in India he took time out to visit the two OSCAR children he sponsors in their community in Mumbai. Nat has engaged many friends and colleagues to support, OSCAR’s work, including his brother Sir Alan Parker. Stopping at nothing he has also thrown himself out of a plane to raise money!

https://www.nathanielparker.com/

Hal Cazalet

Hal Cazalet

Hal Cazalet is an accomplished Opera Singer and Composer, known for his mesmerising performances in renowned opera houses around the world. With a deep passion for promoting new works, Hal has embarked on tours across the United States and Europe alongside the esteemed American composer Philip Glass.

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He has also taken centre stage in leading roles at prestigious venues such as Weill Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York, as well as Wigmore Hall and the Royal Opera House in London.

Hal also participated in the 2016 London concert, “From Baroque to Bollywood,” organised by Alice Lewthwaite to support the OSCAR Foundation.

Hal’s future aspirations include bringing his new musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince” to the prestigious Royal Opera House in Mumbai. He also eagerly anticipates leading musical workshops for the OSCAR Foundation in collaboration with the OSCAR boys and girls, with the hope of one day performing a duet alongside Ashok.

Monica Dabasia

Monica Dabasia

Formerly a city lawyer, Monica Dabasia now plays a vital role in managing her family’s London-based property business.

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Motivated by a desire to contribute to OSCAR’s mission, Monica, along with her husband Hitesh and their children Vilas and Tamira, initiated numerous fundraising appeals. These included Hitesh’s participation in the Mumbai Half Marathon and Vilas and Tamira organising gatherings with friends for fundraising walks and runs. Supported by the family business’s generosity, the first “OSCAR Medical Centre” was established in May 2021 within the Ambedkar Nagar community. The centre played a crucial role in OSCAR’s emergency response to the pandemic, providing medical support and vaccine education to those in need.

Her dedication and contributions have been instrumental in furthering the Foundation’s mission, and her continued involvement is greatly valued.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-dabasia-a582b7b7/

Julian Sowerbutts

Julian Sowerbutts

Julian is an independent renewables’ consultant. His OSCAR journey started in 2016 and his commitment to OSCAR remains steadfast. He played an integral part in the fundraising and planning of the first UK Tour.

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Julian has visited the community in Mumbai many times, hosted all the UK tours in his home and accompanied the victorious girls’ team to the Dana Cup in Denmark and the boys’ team to The Donosti Cup in Spain.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-sowerbutts-b0699ab/

Tom Croxford KC

Tom Croxford KC

Tom is a King’s Counsel in London and his work focuses on discrimination, whistleblowing and High Court employment claims. Having spent time in India for both work and leisure, he has developed a strong connection with the country and its rich and varied culture.

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Through an introduction to OSCAR, Tom had the good fortune to meet Ashok, Lucinda and some of the beneficiaries on a UK football trip. He has since taken a keen interest in their work and was further inspired by the fundraising undertaken by the children of his blended family. Tom looks forward to combining his professional network and expertise to support others in their pursuit of independence and opportunity. “I’ve watched OSCAR from the side lines for a few years. It’s clear to me that their work is making an incredible change to so many lives, and I’m delighted with the opportunity to contribute to their continued impact and growth at such a vital time for international development.”

https://www.nathanielparker.com/cms/

Jo Dunne

Jo Dunne

After a career in grassroots sports marketing, Jo retrained as a Mindfulness Walking coach. She got involved with OSCAR in 2016, when asked to spearhead the fundraising for Beaudesert Park School, who were hosting the inaugural Boys Tour in 2017.

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She has been passionate about the OSCAR Foundation ever since and involved in each UK tour, hosting the girls from the UK Tour 2019 at her home, sponsoring 4 OSCAR children, was an OSCAR trustee and most recently a committee member for the spectacular OSCAR Ball held in May 2023. She has visited Mumbai twice and is honoured to become an OSCAR Ambassador and continue to spread the word about OSCAR’s work.

Sarah Ritchie

Sarah Ritchie

With over three decades of experience as a graphic designer and art director, Sarah Ritchie brings a wealth of expertise to her role. After completing her studies at Central St Martins in London, Sarah embarked on a remarkable journey, traversing the globe for two years, including a meaningful period in India.

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Upon her return, she established her own design company and collaborated with numerous high-profile brands, eventually assuming the position of creative director at Micro Scooters for over a decade.

Currently residing in West Sussex with her family and two exuberant dogs, Sarah has dedicated the past two years of her career to working closely with the OSCAR Foundation, crafting impactful campaigns. Her invaluable contributions led to her being approached to serve as a Charity Ambassador, a role she wholeheartedly embraces. Sarah is excited about the opportunity to support OSCAR and looks forward to making a significant difference in the organisation’s endeavours in the years to come. She firmly believes in OSCAR’s transformative impact on the lives of children and youth, emphasising the symbiotic relationship between education and sports that the Foundation advocates.

https://www.sritchiedesign.com/

Catherine Fleming

Catherine Fleming

My daughter Airlie introduced me to OSCAR in 2017 when the first OSCAR UK girls team visited Downe House School. Since then I have been a child sponsor and was on the 2023 OSCAR Ball Committee.

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In 2024 I visited the OSCAR community in Mumbai and Karnataka, an inspirational trip which has reinforced my determination to support the OSCAR family in every way I can.

Arsh Pandey

Arsh Pandey

I am currently a student at Aditya Birla World Academy, Mumbai. I am extremely passionate about football and part of the school football team. I understand the impact OSCAR has on the lives of the children and this has strengthened my commitment to OSCAR and I endeavour to contribute in any way I possibly can.

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I am working on creating a video where the concept of physics is taught through football. I have helped  raise funds for OSCAR and am excited to share my football skills with the children.  I will continue to support the remarkable work done by the foundation.

Tom Taylor

Tom Taylor

I am a graduate of The University of Edinburgh and work for a boutique private equity fundraising firm in London. Since 2019, I have been a devoted supporter of the OSCAR Foundation, starting with an encounter with the UK tour at Brighton College.

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In 2020, I volunteered for a month with the OSCAR programme in Mumbai. I assisted the Data team and Football coaches, gaining first hand insight into OSCAR’s impactful work on the ground and witnessing the tangible impact OSCAR has on the lives of children. I completed a 5-day mini triathlon in Edinburgh to support OSCAR’s initiatives.  In 2023, I was one of the volunteers at the OSCAR Ball in London. My involvement with OSCAR has not only opened my yes to the remarkable work but has also solidified my commitment to supporting the foundation’s efforts.

Ruby Sowerbutts

Ruby Sowerbutts

I began volunteering with OSCAR in 2016 as a fundraiser for the UK tours and part of the International Young Leader Programme, which brings students from across the world together and creates valuable links between schools.

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As a young leader, I worked with OSCAR both in the UK and India, giving talks, creating presentations and videos showcasing the UK tours. I am passionate about getting children into education, especially girls. I’m currently studying post graduate medicine at the University of Warwick.

Phoebe Mayhew

Phoebe Mayhew

I graduated from the University of Bristol in 2023 with a BA in History with Innovation.

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To raise funds for OSCAR I have run the Mumbai Half Marathon, completed a 7 day swim and participated in the ‘High-five’ for OSCAR campaign implementing a triathlon with a friend from university.

I visited OSCAR in Mumbai in 2020. I loved attending football sessions and seeing how committed and energised the OSCAR girls and boys were during their training. I helped with the Man City Cityzens giving programme and hope to continue to support OSCAR by scouting out new connections. I am pursuing jobs in the world of yacht cruising and racing. I completed my first transatlantic crossing last year on a 44ft sailing yacht.

Katinka Hughes

Katinka Hughes

I volunteered for OSCAR in my gap year in 2019. I have just graduated from the University of Edinburgh, having studied Sport Science and absolutely loved it!

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At university, I set up a cold water swimming group and played lots of sports. My fundraising was heavily based on sporting activities, such as mini triathlons, sea swims and running the thames pathway. Becoming a young ambassador for OSCAR was really important to me, as I would love to spread the fantastic work OSCAR is doing overseas to my friends and family, doing small fundraising projects to do so.

When in Mumbai, I helped out with the deaf and mute school and this really opened my eyes to what incredible work OSCAR is doing and how much they helped children and supporting families to pursue their dreams. With some experience in teaching children ages 2-5 years, I had the best time getting involved with the nursery in Mumbai.

Joel Cazelet

Joel Cazelet

Hi, I’m Joel and am currently studying Sport and Business Entrepreneurship at the University of West of England in Bristol.

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I joined the OSCAR Family in 2022 when I went to Mumbai as a volunteer for a month to assist the Oscar Team. During my stay in India, I immersed myself in all aspects of OSCAR life, creating various initiatives and running sporting activities for the OSCAR participants. I also took the 12-hour train ride to Karnataka to deliver football boots to children in remote villages. I continue to fundraise for the charity actively and recently helped at the OSCAR Fundraising Ball in London. I look forward to returning to India to continue my work as a young Ambassador for the foundation and keeping in touch with my OSCAR friends there.

Malachy Lush

Malachy Lush

My name is Malachy Lush, and I am currently an engineering student at Durham University.

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Over the past two years, I’ve often shared my incredible memories of visiting various OSCAR friends in 2021—a truly unforgettable experience that I’m eager to revisit. I continue to play a lot of football and enjoy cooking with the eclectic assortment of items in my student fridge.

Anna Wateridge

Anna Wateridge

I am currently a student at Durham University and I first came across OSCAR at 12 years old when they visited Beaudesert Park the prep school I attended. My involvement with them continued when they visited the senior school I was in.

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In January 2024 I volunteered with OSCAR in India. It was an incredible visit for me especially visiting the villages in Karnataka and it was enjoyable being met by smiles everywhere I went.

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