Right To Play

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It wont stop me! Right to Play responds to the education crisis as a result of Covid-19 school closures

2020 has been difficult for everyone as the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed all of our lives. For children everywhere, this year has been especially difficult. They have missed their friends, missed out on their education and for some, they have missed the safety, comfort and the protection that a school environment can provide.

With 1.6 billion children still out of school and at extreme risk of dropping out permanently, a second crisis is looming with a sharp rise in abuse, neglect and mental illness. Girls are especially affected by social isolation, as a surge of child marriage, female genital mutilation, and domestic violence puts them at greater risk than ever before.

Mateus is 10 years old and excited to write his 5^th grade exams. Doing well on them is critical to continue to the next phase of his schooling. But, like millions of other children around the world, his hopes for an education came to a sudden and unexpected halt when the pandemic shut down his school in Mozambique. Interrupted learning has severe and lasting effects on children like Mateus. The longer they are out of school, the less likely they are to return.

As countries around the world struggle to keep schools open, we're providing children with engaging ways to learn at home, so they don't fall behind. Right To Play has reached more children than ever this year through virtual lessons, in-person community outreach and by working with schools to help them re-open safely. Thanks to our supporters, we’ve helped 12 million children around the world to remain healthy, stand up for their rights and keep learning no matter what.

Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, children like Mateus are proving how resilient they are and with the right support, will keep striving to get an education. We are hearing the millions of children we work with say one thing over and over again: "It won't stop me".

We've already reached 1.2 million primary school students like Mateus in Mozambique, but these children will continue to need support through the next phase of the pandemic. Times are tough, but with your help we can ensure that children don’t let the mounting crises stop them from rising to a brighter 2021.

About us

Right To Play is transforming the lives of more than 2.3 million children across Latin American, Africa and Asia each year by harnessing play, one of the most fundamental forces in a child’s life.

We work in some of the most disadvantaged communities where children are challenged by poverty, war, disease and poor education. Challenges that rob them of their dignity, their promise, their basic human rights and put them at risk. This is unacceptable and it’s getting worse. More and more children are falling deeper into crisis and missing out on their right to be children, threatening their opportunity to succeed and thrive.

Play is powerful and empowering and it can save lives. Right To Play's work reaches children in 5 core ways:

Quality Education: Play builds brighter futures by igniting a lifelong love of learning, rightfully enabling children to break the cycles of poverty, rise up from adversity and fulfil their potential.
Gender Equality: Play helps protect and empower girls, enabling them to use their voice to claim their right to equality, education, dignity and safety against harm.
Health and well-being: Play saves lives by providing psychosocial support and teaching children and their communities facts that will improve health and save lives.
Child Protection: Play helps children to prevent and respond to violence, discrimination and exploitation so they can feel safe and protected.
Peaceful Communities: Play helps children recover by teaching tolerance, inclusion and collaboration to support healing amongst children and young people who have experienced extreme conflict, violence and displacement.