LEGO Foundation Gives $97M to Help Kids in War Zones

Millions of children growing up in war zones are getting their childhoods back, thanks to a massive investment in an idea that sounds simple but works wonders: letting kids learn through play.

The LEGO Foundation announced a $97 million, five-year partnership with the International Rescue Committee to expand PlayMatters, a program that trains teachers to weave playful learning into classrooms serving children affected by conflict. The initiative aims to reach 5 million kids across East Africa and the Middle East, including those in Ethiopia, Lebanon, South Sudan, Syria, and Uganda.

Unlike traditional education grants tied to specific locations, this funding stays flexible. As conflicts shift and new crises emerge, the money can move where it's needed most. That agility matters in a world where a refugee classroom can suddenly jump from 25 to 150 students overnight.

The results speak for themselves. At a primary school in Uganda's Nakivale refugee settlement, teacher Sister Kasingye Secunda said attendance used to be a serious problem. Now, students who once struggled with language barriers and trauma are eager to show up. They learn colors by selecting fruits to share with classmates, build confidence through presentations, and develop leadership by guiding small group activities.

"Learners enjoy the lessons," Secunda said. "They are eager to come to school."

The program reaches beyond traditional classrooms too. In flood-prone parts of South Sudan where schools become inaccessible for half the year, kids tune into radio shows that help them name their emotions through episodes featuring culturally familiar characters in multiple languages.

Why This Inspires

David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, sees something remarkable happen when conflict-affected children get even a piece of their childhood restored. "If you give them a bit of their childhood back, they make the most of it," he told the Associated Press. "And this is about giving the best of childhood back."

The partnership also gives IRC freedom to address urgent needs that don't fit neatly into "education" budgets. When emergencies strike, program leaders can redirect funds to sanitation, nutrition, or other critical supports. "We need first to make sure that children are alive," said PlayMatters Project Director Martin Omukuba. "We can introduce the education when they are stabilized."

LEGO Foundation CEO Sidsel Marie Kristensen hopes the announcement sparks broader collaboration at a time when international aid is shrinking. The foundation recently committed another $30 million to support locally led solutions for children in crisis zones.

In a world that often forgets children caught in conflict, this investment proves their education and wellbeing still matter.