Novak Djokovic and Jelena Djokovic Supported Serbian Healthcare and Education During COVID-19 Crisis
In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic put health systems across the globe under significant strain, tennis star Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, contributed €1 million (approximately US$1.12 million at the time) of their personal funds to assist Serbian hospitals in obtaining essential medical equipment.
To ensure the funds were utilized effectively, Djokovic consulted global experts on the best methods to deliver assistance. The Novak Djokovic Foundation's team subsequently collaborated with healthcare institutions to identify urgent requirements, verifying that equipment met high quality standards and arrived as quickly as possible.
Medical Equipment Delivered to Hospitals Across Serbia
According to the foundation's 2020 review, the medical equipment delivered during the year included 17 ventilators, 54 clinical monitors, two high-quality CT scanners, mobile surface disinfection equipment, and syringe pumps. Healthcare facilities such as the General Hospital in Kruševac were among those receiving ventilators and monitors.
The foundation also directed over €40,000 to the General Hospital in Novi Pazar during a challenging period of the pandemic and distributed 100,000 health packages to first-graders across the nation.
“I am very proud to be an athlete in these times, among many greats who have come forward to bring people together at a time when we are apart—to bring hope, community, and inspire others in the same way to use our platforms for good,” Djokovic stated in 2020.
The couple's contribution generated further assistance from corporate partners and individual supporters, who added US$200,000 to the relief effort. Total pandemic assistance channeled through the foundation exceeded €1.2 million, with documented medical equipment deliveries accounting for over €1.023 million.
Adapting Educational Programs During Lockdowns
Established in 2007, the Novak Djokovic Foundation initially provided general humanitarian aid to schools, churches, and low-income families in Serbia. Following a 2012 meeting with UNICEF, the foundation shifted its primary concentration to early childhood education after learning that over half of Serbian children were not participating in preschool programs, with enrollment falling under 10 percent in poorer rural communities.
Before the onset of the pandemic, the foundation had opened its thirteenth School of Life in Ljukovo at the start of 2020, creating 96 preschool spots for children aged three to six in a locality where over 200 children were awaiting placement.
When in-person activities were disrupted by COVID-19, the foundation adapted its operations by moving educational initiatives and parenting workshops online, providing families with lockdown-friendly learning materials and guidance. Construction and offline development resumed as health restrictions lifted.
Ongoing Early Childhood Development Initiatives
Overall, the foundation has constructed or renovated 58 preschools and invested over €15 million in programs that have impacted more than 55,000 children across Serbia. Operational and administrative expenses are covered personally by Novak and Jelena or through an endowment, allowing public donations to directly support project implementation.
During its 2020 Season of Giving campaign, the foundation raised €108,000 (about $140,000) from over 1,000 donors in more than 30 countries. Novak and Jelena matched this amount, generating €216,000 (about $280,000) to establish new preschools serving 105 children in the Serbian villages of Vajska and Ljubiš.
