The LEGO Group has chosen five recipients to receive grants from its Build a World of Play Challenge. This week’s decision comes after considering more than 600 applicants for the program.
The challenge first launched in February to draw attention to the barriers to proper resources that some kids face on a global scale. The campaign awarded a total of $117 million to organizations that prioritize early childhood development for kids up to 6 years of age.
LEGO recognized several organizations, with each receiving grants of either $14 million or $25 million.
- The Akili Family: Localized Play-Based Learning for African Families and Communities project promotes at-home play through a series of broadcasted programs.
- GogoPlay: Ecosystems of Play for Children in Rural South Africa conducts work in creating centralized playhouses and engaging women in play.
- Reclaiming Indigenous Children’s Futures through Home-Visiting and Intergenerational Playspaces promotes home education and play spaces for indigenous families.
- Catalyzing REAL Fathers across Uganda for Early Learning and Play works to teach positive parenting methods to empower kids in Ugandan communities.
- Empowering Disabled Children to Play via Early Assistive Technology Access provides groundbreaking assistive technology and engages disabled kids in play.
“As part of the LEGO brand’s 90th anniversary, the LEGO Foundation made a commitment to help build a better world for young children to thrive,” says Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, chairman, the LEGO Foundation Board of Directors. “The Build a World of Play Challenge is designed to do just that, by funding innovative projects that make a real difference in global childhood development and give young children a better start in life.
To carry out the challenge, the LEGO Foundation partnered with Lever for Change, a nonprofit organization that provides donors with ways to combat issues such as racial inequity, gender inequality, low access to economic opportunities, and climate change,
Through its efforts, the Build a World of Play challenge was able to encourage 627 applicants to participate, from 86 different countries.
