RBF Founders

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Bushra Hasham
Founding Member & Head of Administration

Based in Pakistan, Bushra Hasham is a Montessori teacher with 15 years of experience, specializing in teacher training focused on Montessori principles and effective classroom management. As a dedicated educator committed to guiding young minds toward academic success, she fosters inclusivity and tailors her approach to meet the needs of academically disadvantaged students. By implementing strategic, activity-based learning, Bushra has achieved significant success, earning widespread appreciation and the Best Teacher of the Year award.

Samrina Anwar
Founding Member & Head of Academics

Samrina Anwar is a seasoned educator with over 35 years of experience. Samrina co-founded and led Pakistan's first school for autism and has authored curriculum books for Oxford University Press. She is skilled in many intervention frameworks aimed at supporting neurodiverse students. As a polio and cancer survivor, she is passionate about bridging the gap between mainstream and periphery-bound individuals through workshops and advocacy. She works as an ICT and English Literature teacher at Lahore Grammar School Defense, Pakistan.

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Ayesha Vawda
Founding Member & Head of Partnerships

Ayesha Yaqub Vawda brings 28 years of experience in education policy, financing, and efforts at disability inclusion. She has worked with policymakers on education system reforms in over 20 countries across the US, Middle East, Europe, Central Asia, and South Asia. Her work has been published in international journals. Ayesha is a mother of an autistic child and is passionate about supporting parents, communities, school systems, and governments to drive pioneering educational transformations that benefit children and families worldwide. Ayesha is currently working at the World Bank as a Program Leader for Human Development and is a core team member of the Disability Inclusion thematic group at the World Bank.