Right To Play in Uganda

Right To Play has collaborated with local partners in Uganda since 2001 to deliver high-quality programs that increase access to quality education, empower girls, and promote health and well-being.

Currently, we offer programs in several contexts including refugee settlements and urban communities. Our programs ensure children have access to quality play-based early childhood and primary education, support girls to receive the same education and opportunity as boys, help young people experiencing displacement to prevent HIV, support adolescents with information about their sexual and reproductive health, and enhance children’s emotional well-being.

In 2023, we reached more than 38,000 children, including more than 19,000 girls, 500 children with disabilities, and 17,000 children experiencing displacement.

Right To Play Uganda's 2024-26 program priorities

• Ensuring more children from age three to adolescence can access quality play-based education that builds their academic and holistic skills;
• Empowering parents and caregivers with playful approaches to support children’s learning and well-being;
• Providing adolescents with sexual and reproductive health education that empowers them to stay in school;
• Training teachers and parents to support children's emotional well-being;
• Building strong partnerships with donors, government, educational institutions, and local organizations to reach more children and young people;
• Generating evidence on the impact of play on children’s learning and development.

Challenges and Opportunities in Uganda

Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with over 50% under the age of 18. This youthful demographic presents immense opportunities for growth and innovation but also significant challenges, as the nation seeks to address issues like displacement, education, and climate resilience among its youth. Our programs are helping children and youth navigate these challenges while unlocking their potential for a brighter future.

Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa and is home to thousands of children experiencing displacement due to conflict and climate change.

Many children, especially in rural areas, lack access to quality early childhood education services. The early childhood education sector is heavily reliant on private providers and therefore unaffordable for low-income families.

Primary education in Uganda has improved, particularly with the implementation of Universal Primary Education (UPE), which has increased enrollment rates. However, challenges remain. Many children drop out before completing primary school, often due to poverty, child labour, and early marriage and pregnancy. Many students are not meeting expected learning outcomes due to poor educational infrastructure, insufficient teaching and learning materials, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure, and a shortage of trained teachers.

Key Facts:

• Uganda hosts more than 1.7 million refugees and asylum seekers, 60% of whom are children. (European Commission)
• Only one in 10 children has access to formal early childhood care and development. (Human Rights Watch)
• Only 40% of children complete primary education and only 16% complete upper-secondary education. (Human Rights Watch)
• The number of children not able to read and understand an age-appropriate text by age 10 is estimated to be 83%. (UNESCO)
• Nearly half of all girls are forced into marriage before reaching adulthood, with 43% married before they turn 18. (UNFPA)

Key Activities and Impact

In refugee settlements in Adjumani and Isingiro, we are empowering parents of young children with responsive parenting and play-based learning skills through the Play To Grow program, funded by The Lego Foundation. Parents are now able to better support their children to develop foundational literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills, ensuring they are better prepared for school and life.

As part of our work on primary education, we are collaborating with the Ugandan government to train teachers, education officials and coaches in how to integrate play-based learning in classroom lessons and sports programs. This includes sports-integrated learning, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing among teachers, and supervision visits with district officials, ensuring sustainable improvements in classroom engagement and learning outcomes.

Under the SHARE project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, we are improving access to sexual and reproductive health information and services for adolescents and youth. By training youth as change agents, we are challenging harmful gender norms and championing policies that respond to the needs of girls and boys, fostering a more equitable, informed generation.

In Adjumani’s refugee settlements, our Game Connect 2.0 project is using sports as a powerful tool for healing and emotional well-being. By fostering teamwork, confidence, and coping skills, we’re helping youth to build mental resilience and hope in challenging environments. We also use sports and play to foster social cohesion and inclusion and promote peaceful coexistence among refugees and host communities.

"Play has completely changed how I learn. Learning feels easier, and my grades have improved." Timothy, Student, Kampala

Key Supporters and Partners

We collaborate with the Government of Uganda through the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and the Ministry of Health to implement our programs.

Our work is made possible with generous support from donors, including The LEGO Foundation, Global Affairs Canada, Olympic Refuge Foundation, and the Foundation of the Third Millennium.

We also work closely with key implementing partners such as AVSI Foundation, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda, FHI360, WaterAid, and UNHCR to deliver impactful programs that create lasting change.

Country Office Address

Ground Floor, Plot 49/51 Bukoto Street, Kamwokya
P.O Box 24947 Kampala

+256 200 900 997