Felix Auger-Aliassime explores impact of his charity initiative in Togo
"I saw good things, the renovations to the schoolrooms, the equipment for the schools—school equipment but also sports equipment."
Felix Auger-Aliassime took his career to another level this season, capturing his first ATP title in Rotterdam and then following up with three more in Florence, Antwerp and Basel to hit No. 6 in the rankings.
The 20-year-old Canadian was also stellar in team competition, leading wins in the ATP Cup and the Davis Cup.
But those were not his only achievements. Since 2020, he's given $5 to charity for each point he's won on tour, which—tripled by sponsor BNP Paribas—has added up to 329,720 Euros for youth education.
Auger-Aliassime has recently returned from a trip to Togo, where the donations have been distributed to projects in ten villages, assisting 2,740 inhabitants. He toured the north of the country to look at what has been built so far.
"It has largely taken shape," he said in an interview with _L'Equipe. "_I saw good things, the renovations to the schoolrooms, the equipment for the schools—school equipment but also sports equipment.
"The important thing, for me, was to not only meet the very young but also the older ones that left school we help who are between 17 and 20 years old and now, thanks to the project, are in apprenticeships."
Auger-Aliassime seemed as pleased with what he saw as any of his on-court victories.
"I am proud that everything I have invested, myself and BNP Paribas, is having an effect," he said.
Auger-Aliassime is next scheduled to play the ATP Adelaide event and is the second seed in the field.