RIGHT TO PLAY: WHEN CHILDREN PLAY, THE WORLD WINS

OUR STORY BEGINS WITH A BOY IN LONG SLEEVES.

A few months before the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, Norwegian speed skater Johann Olav Koss travelled to the African country, Eritrea as an ambassador of Olympic Aid.

As he watched a group of children playing in streets surrounded by burned out tanks and other remnants of war, he realized just how harsh their reality was. And yet, these children were laughing, smiling, playing. One boy stood out...

"I met a group of boys, and one of them was very popular," says Johann. "I asked him why.
He said, 'Can't you see? I have long sleeves.'"

The boy took off his shirt, rolled it up and used the sleeves to tie it into a ball. When he threw it on the ground, the kids started to play soccer.

The game only ended when it was time for the boy with the long sleeves to go home.

These children had lost their family and friends to violence and yet, surrounded by a legacy of war they only wanted one thing, the same thing every child wants: the opportunity to play.

"It gave me a reason to skate," says Johann.

Thinking of the boys in Eritrea, Johann pledged his gold medal bonus to Olympic Aid and asked his fellow Norwegians to donate a few dollars for every gold medal won by Norway at the games.

The country won 26 medals. And a few days later, Johann had raised more than $18 million.

Johann returned to Eritrea with a proper ball for the boy in the long sleeves and his friends. He also brought an entire airplane full of sports equipment to a country in dire need of food and basic necessities. The Norwegian media labelled him a fool.

"I met the President of Eritrea and said, 'You need food and I have brought sports equipment. I made a mistake. I'm sorry.'

He looked at me and said, 'This is the greatest gift
we have ever received. For the first time, we are being treated like human beings–not just something to be
kept alive. For the first time, my children
can play like any child.'"

This was the beginning of Right To Play.

JOHANN FOUNDED RIGHT TO PLAY IN 2000. HE BUILT OUR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION ON THE BELIEF THAT SPORT AND PLAY CAN EDUCATE AND EMPOWER CHILDREN TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY.

Johann knows play is not just fun and games. It's fundamental to a child's development and can help break down the negative effects of poverty, conflict and disease. It's why use specially-designed games in our programs: to help children protect themselves from disease, to encourage them to attend and stay in school, and to resolve conflict and build peaceful communities in the most disadvantaged areas of the world.

Sport and play initiate important life lessons and develop skills like cooperation, leadership and teamwork. Our programs promote the involvement of all boys and girls, including those with disabilities, those affected by HIV and AIDS, street children, refugees, former combatants and more.

What started as a simple idea has grown into a global movement.

TODAY, WE REACH MORE THAN ONE MILLION CHILDREN THROUGH SPORT- AND PLAY-BASED PROGRAMS.

OUR IMPACT

EDUCATION

We see improvements inside classrooms through academic achievement, school readiness and attendance, and our resources and training manuals are a big part of that. In 2011, the Thai Ministry of Education in Thailand adopted our Life Skills resource into their curriculum; that same year, the Rwandan Ministry of Education integrated the Red Ball Child Play resource into their physical education curriculum.

HEALTH
In places where children face serious challenges to their health, like malaria, HIV and AIDS, and water-borne illnesses, we tailor our games and activities to meet the needs of the country. A simple game that teaches hand washing can save a child's life.

PEACE-BUILDING
By teaching tolerance, inclusion and conflict resolution, we help build peaceful communities for children and communities affected by war. Our specialized programs provide an outlet for the thousands of children displaced from their homes and living in refugee camps with little or no access to structured play.

OUR PEOPLE INSPIRE

Right To Play Coach Pontien was only 14 years old when his father, sister and brother were killed in the Rwandan genocide.

"I felt like I had lost everything," he says. Then he found play.

Like the 14,400 local volunteer Coaches who facilitate our programs, Pontien believes our programming makes a positive impact on children's lives.

It doesn't stop there. These volunteers become role models and inspire participating kids, so much in fact, that some become Junior Leaders helping facilitate programs for their peers.

It doesn't stop there. These volunteers become role models and inspire participating kids, so much in fact, that some become Junior Leaders helping facilitate programs for their peers.

OUR COMMITMENT

We are committed to improving the lives of children through the power of play. Our programs, methodology, Coaches and Leaders are rooted in the community—all guaranteeing the continuum of our life-changing lessons.

As a leader in the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) movement, our sports-, games- and play-based programs create an arena for children to interact, learn and grow.

We establish common ground, help break down barriers, promote teamwork and create acceptance. We provide our Coaches with the opportunity to teach new behaviours, while allowing children to reflect on their life experiences and apply new learning to their lives. And we encourage children to see themselves as active participants in their development and to advocate for their rights.

OUR DIFFERENCE

By integrating play-based learning into school curriculum in developing countries we collaborate with and train community leaders, like: early childhood educators, teachers and staff from other Non-Governmental Organizations to create a sense of local ownership and empowerment. 

We're building partnerships with local groups and organizations, and engaging with governments and political decision-makers to show the value of integrating play into national and international educational policies. All combined, this opens the door for behaviour change, new beliefs and practices and a sustainable community infrastructure.

OUR FUTURE

Through perseverance, repetition and behavioural transformation, we know: the one million children (and counting!) we reach through our programs each week are building a hope-filled, educated, healthy and peaceful generation.