In 2009, The Roger Federer Foundation spent more than $1 million on education in South Africa, Tanzania, Mali, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. His mother, Lynette Durand, was born in South Africa, and it is this heritage that inspired the charity. A message on his website reads:
Education enables children to take control of their future and actively shape it. In many countries of the world a majority of people, despite their efforts, do not have access to quality education. I am very glad to be able to make a difference by means of my Foundation.
Set up in 2003, the Foundation helps disadvantaged people and promotes sports.
In the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Federer arranged a mixed doubles fundraiser consisting of top tennis players Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, and others which formed a special charity event called "Hit for Haiti", in which all proceeds went to Haiti earthquake victims. Seats to the event sold for as little as $10, and the charity match raised in excess of $600,000 for the victims. The earthquake in Haiti killed an estimated 200,000 people. Federer said at the time:
"I have spent a lot of time with the children and I think I now know each of them by their first name. Children are our future, and for that reason I have tried to inspire them."
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