Serena Williams Opens Second School in Africa
Roger Federer went from winning the 2010 Australian Open Men’s Singles title to Ethiopia to visit a school there supported by his Foundation. This past week, 2010 Australian Open Women’s Champion, Serena Williams, who recently withdrew from the BNP Paribas
Showdown at Madison Square Garden for the Billie Jean King Cup with a knee injury, was also in Africa. Serena, was in Matiliku in the Eastern Province of Kenya to open her second school. In the fall of 2008, Serena opened her first secondary school in Kenya about 50 kilometers away from this school in Matiliku.
Serena, who is a global ambassador for Hewlett Packard, was in Kenya for only three days and ironically stayed at the Serena Hotel (no relation/connection)! Serena, who has worked with a non-profit called Build African Schools, has said that she hopes to build one school each year in a different part of Africa. It’s been a charitable time for professional tennis with the “Hit for Haiti" exhibition in Australia, Federer’s school in Ethiopia and now Serena Williams’ second school in Africa. Professional tennis players obviously recognize both the good that their celebrity status can help them achieve, as well as the benefits of the positive PR for their image. Nonetheless, not all of the top players are making such a visible impact on the world and one hopes that these efforts will inspire more “good works” from other top tennis players.
Serena, who is a global ambassador for Hewlett Packard, was in Kenya for only three days and ironically stayed at the Serena Hotel (no relation/connection)! Serena, who has worked with a non-profit called Build African Schools, has said that she hopes to build one school each year in a different part of Africa. It’s been a charitable time for professional tennis with the “Hit for Haiti" exhibition in Australia, Federer’s school in Ethiopia and now Serena Williams’ second school in Africa. Professional tennis players obviously recognize both the good that their celebrity status can help them achieve, as well as the benefits of the positive PR for their image. Nonetheless, not all of the top players are making such a visible impact on the world and one hopes that these efforts will inspire more “good works” from other top tennis players.
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Comments
Ms. Williams I am extremely proud of you and your sister Venus; all of your accomplishments. Have you thought of building a school in Uganda. I visited Kampala,Uganda and was very impress with the people. I see the need as in other Africia continents.Thank you for your comments.
Posted by: Ruth Harbin | September 3, 2010 08:43 PM