The LEGO Foundation has committed $97 million to expand play-based learning programs for children in conflict zones, according to fortune.com. The five-year partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) aims to reach over 5 million children across East Africa and the Middle East.
The agreement, announced Wednesday, will fund IRC initiatives that use play to help children learn and recover from the trauma of conflict. IRC President David Miliband highlighted the importance of restoring childhood to children affected by war. LEGO Foundation CEO Sidsel Marie Kristensen emphasized a flexible approach, targeting those in the most dire contexts such as Ethiopia, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Uganda.
This funding addresses a critical gap in humanitarian aid by focusing on education and psychosocial support through play, which is often overlooked in conflict response. The initiative comes amid ongoing crises that threaten millions of children’s development and well-being. The partnership’s adaptable framework allows resources to be directed where needs are greatest as conflict zones shift, reflecting the unpredictable nature of global conflicts.
Over the next five years, the LEGO Foundation and IRC will monitor evolving conflict areas to ensure aid reaches children most in need. The program’s success will be measured by its ability to provide learning opportunities and emotional recovery to millions of children affected by war, with plans to adjust focus areas as situations change.