Our Mission
The Donkor Tennis and Education Foundation, Inc. is a 501c3 registered non-profit charity. The foundation was created to provide guidance, information, tennis instruction and mentoring to children and young adults with the intention of reducing poverty and increasing opportunity.
Isaac Donkor, the founder and CEO of the foundation, grew up in Ghana, facing hardships and poverty unknown and unimaginable to most of us. Yet through tennis he was able to lift not only himself but his entire family and many friends out of poverty. Being helped by so many on his journey gave Isaac the inspiration to begin his own charity in the hope that other children can have the same dreams and success he has had.
Our original board of directors worked tirelessly to form this charity with the only focus being on helping young African athletes to fulfill their potential in tennis and education and to be given the same opportunities as children from the USA and other developed countries. The current directors consist of a group of individuals dedicated to making this project happen all of whom have in-depth knowledge of tennis and business skills to bring this foundation forward.
Isaac’s Perspective
Isaac Donkor’s love for tennis began in Ghana, where as a boy he worked as a ball boy just to be close to the game. At nine years old, he received his first racket, a used wooden Dunlop the kids called “The Golden Racket.” From that moment, tennis became his passion and his pathway.
Despite having no formal lessons, Isaac taught himself through determination, creativity, and countless hours of practice. By age 14, he was competing in tournaments; by 19, he had earned a place on the Ghana Davis Cup Team, where he played as the No. 2 seed for nine years. His talent and drive led to a full scholarship at the New Mexico Military Institute, where he became Junior College Player of the Year, and later the University of New Mexico, where he completed his degree.
Tennis transformed Isaac’s life, taking him from local hotel courts in Accra to international competition. His success fueled a lifelong mission to give back. Using his Davis Cup earnings, Isaac co-founded a charity organizing tournaments in Ghana, and later purchased land in Accra that now houses the Donkor Tennis & Education Foundation (DTEF).
Today, Isaac has coached in Ghana, the U.S., and Ireland, while mentoring the next generation of players. Through DTEF, he is building opportunities in both tennis and education ensuring that one ball, one racket, or one chance can still change a child’s life.
