LEGO Foundation Donates $97 Million to Support Children in Conflict Zones

LEGO Foundation Donates $97 Million to Support Children in Conflict Zones
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The LEGO Foundation has committed $97 million to expand International Rescue Committee programs that use play-based learning to support children affected by conflict in the Middle East and Africa.

The five-year partnership aims to reach 5 million children in crisis-affected areas. Countries under consideration include Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Sudan, Syria, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.

The funding will expand the IRC’s PlayMatters program, which trains teachers to use playful learning methods for children aged 3 to 12. The approach is designed to help children continue learning while recovering from trauma caused by war, displacement, and instability.

The program also supports remote and multimedia learning, including radio lessons in multiple languages for children in areas where schools are difficult to reach because of conflict or flooding.

IRC officials said education and early childhood development should be treated as essential humanitarian support, not as a secondary need, especially as global aid budgets decline.