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March 3, 2005
Federer meets his beneficiaries in PE
By Jack Milner, Independent Online
Number one ranked tennis player Roger Federer believes that "children
are the future of the world" and he is determined to play a role in
ensuring that some of them at least, have a better future themselves.
As a result, the Roger Federer Foundation was formed in December 2003
and one of its beneficiaries is the Imbewu Community of Volunteers in
South Africa.
On Wednesday (March 2), the Swiss-based player came to Port Elizabeth to meet the
staff of the organisation and get a first-hand look at the work of
Imbewu, a joint South African and Swiss community development project.
Volunteers from both countries assist local youths to be actively
involved in the community. Federer is a sponsor of 30 children from
Soweto-on-Sea, one of the poorest and most crime-ridden communities in
the Port Elizabeth area.
"It is important that they get a good education because children are
the future of the world," said Federer. "Many athletes realise how
lucky they are and that there is a need to put something back into the
community.
"I also believe sport can make a difference in their lives because when
you play sport, you can put all your troubles behind you, even if it's
just for an hour."
Federer was accompanied by his girlfriend, Mirka Vavrinec, and his
parents, Robert and Lynette. Federer's mother is from South Africa and
she was instrumental in the tennis player getting involved with Imbewu.
The first port of call for the group was the Empilweni Hospital in New
Brighton, which deals specifically with victims of tuberculosis. Of the
27 children in the hospital, eight are HIV-positive and four are
orphans. "I go so rarely into a hospital and to see children in that
state was very emotional for me," said Federer.
From there, Federer was taken on a tour of Brighton-on-Sea, an area
covered with the shacks of informal settlement. "I have seen these
areas from a distance but being right there is totally different.
"Despite their poverty, the people were so friendly and relaxed and I was happy to see that."
When the mini-bus pulled up outside Ndzondelo Secondary School, it was
greeted by a group of 17 drum majorettes, smartly attired in white and
turquoise outfits, as well as a school band which combined eight drums
of various sizes and two bugles. What they lacked in variation they
certainly made up for in rhythm.
School principal, Mnkwazo Grootboom, welcomed Federer and thanked him for his assistance.
"Your gesture of looking after these children is welcomed not only by
myself and the staff, but by the community and the whole of South
Africa. We are honoured to be visited by a person of your calibre."
Next stop was the Mvisiswano Primary School where a formal ceremony
took place. Federer was welcomed by the school choir and after a
minute's silence as a tribute to Ray Mhlaba and Jean-Louis Saisselin,
the Swiss founder of Imbewu, both of whom died recently. There were a
number of speeches, gifts were exchanged, a cluster of coloured
balloons was released and Federer planted a tree in the school grounds.
"I was amazed about how much they knew about my career and I hope that
when they look at the tree they will think of me and it will motivate
them. This experience has certainly helped me as a human being and I
will think of them when I am not doing very well," said Federer.
He then visited the grandmother of one of the children whom he is
sponsoring. "Does she know who I am?" asked Federer. When the woman
shook her head, Federer responded: "it's okay if she doesn't."
However, when the interpreter explained about his tennis career, the
old lady nodded saying she had seen him on television. In the house
were a couple of her very young grandchildren and Federer added: "maybe
one day I can support the small children as well".
During the course of the day, Federer played soccer with the kids and
basketball at the local club, but no tennis. "I love all sports and
it's not important if they don't play tennis, as long as they play
something.
"With the World Cup coming here in 2010 it's probably more important that they play soccer."
The final stop was at a local shebeen, where Federer and his family
were treated to some local cuisine and traditional dancing. "I enjoyed
the music. It was very loud, very hot and very African."
At the end of his whirlwind tour, Federer said that after seeing how
the project was progressing he feels good about what he is doing. "I'm
just amazed to see how happy the kids were to see me even if they
didn't know who I was. I think it's good that they know that they have
someone behind them, someone who believes in them." - Sapa
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