Right to Play

It all began with a boy in a long sleeve t-shirt...

In 1994, Norwegian speed skater Johann Olav Koss led a humanitarian trip to Eritrea. There, he came face-to-face with the realities of life in a country emerging from decades of war – and with the power of play. Amid burned-out tanks, children played together, kicking a shirtball back and forth. The children’s incredible resilience in the face of hopelessness inspired Koss to found Right To Play.

Twenty years on, Right To Play has grown to reach 1.52 million children in 15 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Canada. We create positive and safe environments where children can learn and succeed, and use play in all its forms to provide rich and engaged learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom.

Our vision is to empower children with the confidence and knowledge they need to rise above adversity and become positive forces of change.