Roger Federer Foundation pledges $1 million for providing meals in Africa

The charity foundation of 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, called the Roger Federer Foundation, has made yet another generous contribution for a good cause. The foundation has pledged US$1 million to provide nutritious meals for 64,000 disadvantaged children and their families in Africa, even as schools remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this regard, Roger Federer himself re-tweeted a post from the foundation, highlighting the importance of helping out the underprivileged during a time of crisis.

Now more than ever we must come together to help families in need 🙏 https://t.co/c8fhhyRBIi

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) May 6, 2020

What is the Roger Federer Foundation and what does it do?

Roger Federer

One of the most recognisable players in men's tennis, Roger Federer is also renowned for his social work and philanthropy through his Foundation.

The Roger Federer Foundation is a non-profit organisation that empowers children to take control of their own future. Founded in 2004, the foundation has helped provide quality education to over one and a half million children in six southern African countries and Switzerland. The Foundation has spent over US$52 million in education initiatives conducted in over 7000 primary schools.

The programmes of the Roger Federer Foundation in Africa focus on improving the quality of early learning and basic education, while in Switzerland they promote extra-curricular activities for children affected by poverty. All activities of the Roger Federer Foundation are undertaken in close collaboration with local communities.

Currently operational in Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Switzerland, the Roger Federer Foundation has received grants from the ATP Aces for Charity in the recent past.

Roger Federer's 2020 season highlights

Roger Federer

Roger Federer started the 2020 season with a semifinal defeat to eventual winner Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. He then took a break from the tour to undergo a knee surgery.

The start of that break coincided with the explosion of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now spread its tentacles across USA and Europe. The ATP subsequently announced the suspension of the tour till July 13th to safeguard the health of players, volunteers, spectators and other stakeholders of the game.

The ATP and @WTA have jointly announced the continued suspension of the ATP and WTA Tour until July 13, 2020, due to the ongoing #COVID19 pandemic.

— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 1, 2020

During the ensuing lockdown period, Roger Federer recently caught up with his good friend and arch rival Rafael Nadal in a video chat on Instagram. Not surprisingly, the interaction garnered well over a million views.

The duo had a wide-ranging discussion, talking about the well-being of each others' families and the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak in their respective countries. Federer also enquired about Nadal's Tennis Academy in Mallorca, with which has been closely involved in a personal capacity.

The 38-year-old Federer had originally planned to rejoin the tour during the grass leg of the season. But owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, it will be at least two more months before the legend steps out on the court for a professional match.