Azra Raza was born in Karachi in June 1953. She received her early education at the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Karachi before continuing her studies in Manila, Philippines. There, she graduated from the International School Manila and pursued Fine Arts at the Women’s University of the Philippines.

In 1979, Azra joined The City School as an Art Teacher and eventually retired in 2001 as Director of Studies. Over her 22-year tenure in education, she was instrumental in curriculum development across various levels, from Pre-Nursery to A Levels, and played a key role in training and supporting faculty.

Following her teaching career, Azra served as the CEO of Aspire Educational Consulting for 16 years, where she helped connect Pakistani students with educational opportunities in the UK and other international universities. She retired from her leadership role in 2017 but continued to serve as Chairman of Aspire Educational Consulting until 2020.

Azra’s passion for social service led her to become the Program Director for the Children’s Museum for Peace and Human Rights from 2015-2018. In this role, she oversaw the “Badal Do!” project, a USAID-funded initiative aimed at teacher training. She has been a dedicated member of the Teachers’ Resource Centre since its founding in 1983 and currently serves as its Chairperson, fostering ongoing development for educators in Pakistan.

Her commitment to education extends to her work with the BFT Primary School, where she has contributed significantly to its establishment and operations. Azra was instrumental in getting the Babaza Foundation Trust registered with the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy and continues to support its efforts through in-service workshops and teacher training.

Since its inception in 2003, Azra has been a Trustee and General Secretary of the Babaza Foundation Trust, and she currently holds the position of Trustee.