Sport4Change

Our Mission Statement

To improve the lives of children in the most disadvantaged areas of the world by using the power of sport and play for development, health and peace.

Executive Summary

There is an overall absence of physical activity, and inclusive sport and play opportunities for children and youth. There is a lack of knowledge and skills about the importance of sport and play as a tool for healthy child development and there is a lack of safe areas where children could meaningfully engage with one another, their community and family. Right To Play addresses these needs through the program.

Specifically, Right To Play trains Coaches and Teachers in sport and play curriculum based on healthy child development, healthy lifestyle behaviors and HIV prevention. The training provided to the Coaches and Teachers promotes their leadership development while providing them with the skills to succeed with organizing effective activities for children and youth. Moreover, Right To Play supports the Coaches and Teachers to ensure the children and youth in the camps receive access to regular sport and play activities.

To ensure that community ownership is present at all stages of program development, Right To Play has supported the development of Task Teams. The Task Teams are made up of members of the community and manage the overall operations of the program.

Lastly, to address the issue of lack of play spaces in the camps, Right To Play has prioritized the development and maintenance of infrastructure such as football and volleyball fields. Right To Play also distributes equipment based on community needs and has implemented an Equipment Management System along with the Task Teams.

By using the best practices of sport and play, Right To Play is enhancing life skills such as leadership, discipline, fair play, and conflict resolution which will lead to increased child self-esteem and resilience. Ultimately, the children who possess these crucial life skills will serve as catalysts for healthier, happier and more peaceful communities. Not only has the Right To Play program instilled such skills, the program has also offered a secondary psychosocial support structure for children and youth, especially those orphaned as a result of war and/ or HIV and AIDS, through the unique coach to child approach.

The children and youth in the camps have benefited greatly from programming to date, and Right To Play remains committed to supporting UNHCR and the communities to ensure children and youth residing in the refugee camps continue to experience the benefits that sport and play brings.