Watch: Federer On Power Of Giving

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Watch: Federer On Power Of Giving

There are nearly a million more reasons to appreciate Roger Federer.

None of them emanate from his on-court artistry.

McEnroe: Federer is GOAT, Nadal Near End

In a new video interview celebrating the 13th anniversary of the Roger Federation Foundation, the 17-time Grand Slam champion says his charitable foundation was formed out of a simple desire to pay it forward and help kids.

The charitable foundation has touched nearly one million lives in South Africa. Federer's mother, Lynette, is a South African native.

"In the beginning, everything was very new to me," Federer said. "I just started playing on the tour. I had enjoyed my first success and because of my first success, I realized I was making some money. I was finally able to pay my coaches, by myself, away from the Federation.

"And it was time to think forward how much more I would like to achieve as a tennis player and also as a human being. I’m very fortunate very privileged in my life so it’s a good starting point to share that with the more unprivileged people in this world. So that’s when I started the Roger Federer Foundation now 13 years ago."

The mission statement behind Federer's philanthropy is his belief every child "should have access to education."

“We believe that every kid deserves an opportunity and should have access to education. We believe very much in empowerment of teachers and kids when they go to school," Federer said. "I think that’s something that’s not given everywhere in the world, particularly in Southern Africa, you see a lot of poverty. That’s why we as the Roger Federer Foundation can come in and be very supportive. Here we are on the verge of touching one million kids, which is really, really exciting."

Federer's philanthrophy has also been a learning experience teaching him how to use the platform he has for a good cause.

"I found it a most fascinating thing," Federer said of creating and growing his Foundation. "(It is) the one thing that’s going to outlast my playing days by a long, long way.

"I think it comes from the values of my parents. Me myself being in South Africa when I was little. Seeing that Switzerland is different from South Africa, that you can have a big impact if you do it the right way."