“My heart goes out to the kids around the world”: How Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias backed child welfare and raised $353,000
Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias have supported children through charitable work focused on healthcare, education and emergency relief. Iglesias’s partnership with Save the Children brought in more than $353,000 by October 2019, according to the organisation. Kournikova has also taken part in fundraising events for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and supported health initiatives through international charity work. Their efforts have included fundraising, public appeals and projects aimed at helping children facing difficult circumstances. However, claims about several specific programmes in the supplied material could not be independently confirmed.

How Did Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias Build Their Charity Work Around Children?Kournikova and Iglesias became internationally known through tennis and music, but their charitable work has taken different forms. Kournikova made her name on the tennis court, reaching world No. 8 in singles and winning two Australian Open women’s doubles titles with Martina Hingis. Iglesias built a global music career, becoming one of the best-known Spanish-language pop singers.
The couple met in 2001 while working on the music video for Iglesias’s song Escape. They have kept much of their family life private, including details about their children. Their preference for privacy, however, should not be taken as proof that all their charitable work has been carried out quietly or that every reported project is part of a joint effort.
Their documented charity work covers different causes. Kournikova has taken part in events supporting children’s healthcare, while Iglesias has used his public profile and fan base to raise money for children affected by emergencies.
What Did Anna Kournikova Do for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Child Health?Kournikova has supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through sports-related fundraising. One documented example was her participation in the Nautica South Beach Triathlon, an event that raised money for the hospital.
A report published by SocialMiami described Kournikova taking part in the triathlon and supporting St. Jude’s work for children with serious illnesses. The event brought together participants from different backgrounds, using swimming, cycling and running to raise funds for the hospital. The report also recorded Kournikova discussing her involvement and her visits to St. Jude’s main facility in Memphis, Tennessee.
This work matters because specialist children’s hospitals depend on funding to provide treatment and support for young patients and their families. Fundraising events can help direct public attention and donations towards those needs.
Kournikova has also been linked to health advocacy through Population Services International (PSI). The supplied material describes her involvement with the organisation’s Five & Alive campaign, which focused on the health of children under five.
However, TOI could not independently verify the full set of claims about her role as a global ambassador, visits to rural clinics or the specific interventions attributed to her.
How Did Enrique Iglesias Raise More Than $353,000 for Save the Children?Iglesias’s work with Save the Children offers the clearest documented example of his fundraising efforts. In October 2019, the organisation announced that he had been named a “Changemaker for Children” after helping raise money and awareness for children in need.
According to its October 23, 2019, announcement, contributions linked to Iglesias and his fans had reached $353,000 and were still growing. The money came from several activities, including online donations, fundraisers, auctions, merchandise sales and meet-and-greet events. More than $75,000 of that total supported the organisation’s HEART programme in Mexico, which uses arts-based activities to help children.
Iglesias also supported children’s education through a separate contribution. The same announcement said that he donated $200,000 worth of software through a partnership with Microsoft. The software was intended to strengthen literacy programmes for elementary school children in El Salvador, Guatemala and Peru.
The partnership also included a merchandise campaign launched in October 2015. Iglesias and the organisation introduced a heart-themed T-shirt, inspired by the shirt he wore after injuring his hand during a concert in Tijuana, Mexico. The net proceeds from sales went to the Children’s Emergency Fund, which helps the organisation prepare for and respond to crises affecting children.
At the time, Iglesias said: “I’m extremely excited to partner with Save the Children to help kids who need it the most. My heart goes out to the kids around the world who have lived through a humanitarian crisis and have to rebuild their lives from scratch.”
He added: “As Save the Children knows from experience, recovering from the turmoil and loss caused by war or disaster can take years.” These words appeared in the organisation’s October 2015 announcement about the campaign.
The project connected a music merchandise campaign with emergency support for children. It also showed how an artist could use an existing audience to raise money for a cause without asking fans to attend a separate charity event.
What Is Verified About Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias’ Disaster Relief Work?Iglesias’s involvement with emergency relief is supported by the organisation’s own records. Save the Children lists him among the artists who have helped raise awareness and funds for children affected by natural disasters. Its profile also notes that he has visited children, parents and staff involved in programmes in the United States, Guatemala and Mexico.
In August 2018, Iglesias used his official website to share a message about the volcanic disaster in Guatemala. He encouraged people to donate to the organisation and pointed to its Children’s Emergency Fund as a source of help during the early stages of a crisis.
This is a documented example of Iglesias using his public platform to direct attention towards families affected by a disaster. However, the available record does not establish the exact amount he personally donated for that particular emergency.
The supplied material also links the couple to relief following Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and earthquakes in Latin America.
Similarly, the supplied material names Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the United Service Organizations (USO) and other initiatives as parts of the couple’s charitable work.
How Did Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias Build Their Charity Work Around Children?Kournikova and Iglesias became internationally known through tennis and music, but their charitable work has taken different forms. Kournikova made her name on the tennis court, reaching world No. 8 in singles and winning two Australian Open women’s doubles titles with Martina Hingis. Iglesias built a global music career, becoming one of the best-known Spanish-language pop singers.
The couple met in 2001 while working on the music video for Iglesias’s song Escape. They have kept much of their family life private, including details about their children. Their preference for privacy, however, should not be taken as proof that all their charitable work has been carried out quietly or that every reported project is part of a joint effort.
Their documented charity work covers different causes. Kournikova has taken part in events supporting children’s healthcare, while Iglesias has used his public profile and fan base to raise money for children affected by emergencies.
What Did Anna Kournikova Do for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Child Health?Kournikova has supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through sports-related fundraising. One documented example was her participation in the Nautica South Beach Triathlon, an event that raised money for the hospital.
A report published by SocialMiami described Kournikova taking part in the triathlon and supporting St. Jude’s work for children with serious illnesses. The event brought together participants from different backgrounds, using swimming, cycling and running to raise funds for the hospital. The report also recorded Kournikova discussing her involvement and her visits to St. Jude’s main facility in Memphis, Tennessee.
This work matters because specialist children’s hospitals depend on funding to provide treatment and support for young patients and their families. Fundraising events can help direct public attention and donations towards those needs.
Kournikova has also been linked to health advocacy through Population Services International (PSI). The supplied material describes her involvement with the organisation’s Five & Alive campaign, which focused on the health of children under five.
However, TOI could not independently verify the full set of claims about her role as a global ambassador, visits to rural clinics or the specific interventions attributed to her.
How Did Enrique Iglesias Raise More Than $353,000 for Save the Children?Iglesias’s work with Save the Children offers the clearest documented example of his fundraising efforts. In October 2019, the organisation announced that he had been named a “Changemaker for Children” after helping raise money and awareness for children in need.
According to its October 23, 2019, announcement, contributions linked to Iglesias and his fans had reached $353,000 and were still growing. The money came from several activities, including online donations, fundraisers, auctions, merchandise sales and meet-and-greet events. More than $75,000 of that total supported the organisation’s HEART programme in Mexico, which uses arts-based activities to help children.
Iglesias also supported children’s education through a separate contribution. The same announcement said that he donated $200,000 worth of software through a partnership with Microsoft. The software was intended to strengthen literacy programmes for elementary school children in El Salvador, Guatemala and Peru.
The partnership also included a merchandise campaign launched in October 2015. Iglesias and the organisation introduced a heart-themed T-shirt, inspired by the shirt he wore after injuring his hand during a concert in Tijuana, Mexico. The net proceeds from sales went to the Children’s Emergency Fund, which helps the organisation prepare for and respond to crises affecting children.
At the time, Iglesias said: “I’m extremely excited to partner with Save the Children to help kids who need it the most. My heart goes out to the kids around the world who have lived through a humanitarian crisis and have to rebuild their lives from scratch.”
He added: “As Save the Children knows from experience, recovering from the turmoil and loss caused by war or disaster can take years.” These words appeared in the organisation’s October 2015 announcement about the campaign.
The project connected a music merchandise campaign with emergency support for children. It also showed how an artist could use an existing audience to raise money for a cause without asking fans to attend a separate charity event.
What Is Verified About Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias’ Disaster Relief Work?Iglesias’s involvement with emergency relief is supported by the organisation’s own records. Save the Children lists him among the artists who have helped raise awareness and funds for children affected by natural disasters. Its profile also notes that he has visited children, parents and staff involved in programmes in the United States, Guatemala and Mexico.
In August 2018, Iglesias used his official website to share a message about the volcanic disaster in Guatemala. He encouraged people to donate to the organisation and pointed to its Children’s Emergency Fund as a source of help during the early stages of a crisis.
This is a documented example of Iglesias using his public platform to direct attention towards families affected by a disaster. However, the available record does not establish the exact amount he personally donated for that particular emergency.
The supplied material also links the couple to relief following Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and earthquakes in Latin America.
Similarly, the supplied material names Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the United Service Organizations (USO) and other initiatives as parts of the couple’s charitable work.
Next Story