Our Story | Osaka Foundation

In Jacmel, a port town on the south coast of Haiti, residents live in conditions of poverty, with bare minimum housing coverage, limited access to power, no access to Internet and not many resources to survive daily livelihood, nonetheless experience a standard education and experience culture and activity outside of their neighborhoods.

The History

Founded in 1999 by Leonard “Maxime” Francois and Tamaki Osaka, the Osaka Foundation is a tennis academy built to help underserved families in Haiti and their children with basic living needs and provide opportunities in sports and education to make a difference.

After returning to his hometown, Leonard “Maxime” Francois was moved to find a way to help his community. Sparked by Maxime’s athletic background and his desire to make a difference in Haiti, the Osaka Foundation was built on the philosophy that through sports and education, kids can have the right platform to excel in life. The Osaka family sought to provide an environment for children to thrive in sports and could do so without worries of the challenges of everyday living that are common in the community.

The family plotted on 20 acres in Jacmel to build the Osaka Foundation. Focusing on their passion and success in tennis, the Centre was focused on offering tennis lessons for younger children. Today, the Centre provides an environment for children to thrive in sports, while focusing on education, with trained guidance and without the worries of everyday living.

The Impact

The Osaka Foundation is built on two prongs – tennis and education.

The importance of education will be the deciding factor for the future of many of the children who progress through the Osaka Foundation. Most importantly, for the kids in this area, the Center is a space where the basic needs are met with housing, food, education, and sports.

The Center is almost fully supported by funds from the Osaka Foundation.