PlayMatters has received international visibility following the announcement of a new five-year framework partnership between the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the LEGO Foundation aimed at expanding learning and wellbeing opportunities for children affected by conflict, displacement and crisis. 

The partnership, supported through a US$97 million commitment from the LEGO Foundation, seeks to reach up to five million children across East Africa and the Middle East through flexible, crisis-responsive education programming that can adapt to rapidly evolving humanitarian contexts. The announcement received significant international media coverage, including a feature by the Associated Press that was subsequently syndicated across multiple global news platforms and news outlets worldwide. 

As part of the announcement, the PlayMatters consortium project was highlighted as an example of the IRC and LEGO Foundation's long-standing collaboration to advance Learning through Play in crisis-affected settings. The media feature included interviews with PlayMatters Director Mary Winters as well as PlayMatters teachers, whose experiences helped illustrate how Learning through Play is improving children's learning, wellbeing and development in refugee-hosting communities. 

The Associated Press feature highlighted how Learning Through Play approaches are helping children develop foundational skills while creating engaging, supportive and inclusive learning environments. Through the voices of teachers and project leadership, the story showcased the practical impact of PlayMatters and demonstrated how investment in education can support children affected by displacement, conflict and adversity. 

For PlayMatters, the coverage represents an important visibility milestone and recognition of the contributions made by teachers, government stakeholders, consortium partners and communities over the past six years. Since its inception, PlayMatters has worked alongside Ministries of Education and national institutions to strengthen teaching and learning through play-based approaches that improve children's literacy, numeracy, social-emotional and wellbeing outcomes. 

PlayMatters 3.0 as the firs project under the new Framework

PlayMatters 3.0 will become the first project to be implemented under the new IRC–LEGO Foundation Framework Partnership. It will be implemented by a consortium led by the IRC and includes Plan International and War Child Alliance. Building on lessons, evidence and partnerships established through earlier phases, PlayMatters 3.0 will continue advancing Learning through Play through a stronger focus on scale, institutionalization and national led implementation across refugee-hosting and crisis-affected contexts. 

The next phase of the program will be officially launched during the PlayMatters 3.0 Virtual Launch on 15 June, bringing together representatives from Ministries of Education, the LEGO Foundation, consortium partners, Ministries of Education, and other stakeholders. The event will provide an opportunity to reflect on the PlayMatters journey to date while introducing the priorities and ambitions of the next phase. 

As PlayMatters enters this new chapter, the international media attention generated through the framework partnership announcement highlights the growing recognition of Learning through Play as an effective and scalable approach for supporting children affected by crisis. It also reinforces the importance of continued collaboration between governments, communities, educators and development partners to ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, play and thrive. 

Read the Associated Press feature on the IRC–LEGO Foundation Framework Partnership and learn more about how PlayMatters is contributing to improved learning and wellbeing outcomes for children affected by crisis and displacement.