| I like Right to Play because it is an athlete conceived and athlete driven international humanitarian organization that is committed to help change the way in which children in underprivileged countries and areas live their lives.
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Right to Play’s remarkable network of local and international volunteers work with communities to implement SportWork and SportHealth programs, which help to shape children’s lives by improving their health, providing growth opportunities, teaching conflict resolution and promoting peace. SportWork is focused on child and community development and is largely implemented in refugee camps. SportHealth leverages the power of sport to provide health education and encourage healthy lifestyle behaviors, specifically the importance of vaccinations (TB and measles) as well as HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention. Right to Play also trains local youth to be  local coaches, to expand the reach of its programs and to impart valuable leadership skills to the next generation. Using it’s principals of inclusion and sustainability, Right to Play insures that no one is excluded from its programs as a result of gender, disability, and ethnicity. Right to Play has received considerable publicity in the last few weeks when Joey Cheek, US gold and silver medalist speed skater, donated his entire $40,000 performance bonuses from the US Olympic Committee to Right to Play.
« Joey Cheek and Johann Koss in Torino
 Clara Hughes wins Gold and
pledges her support for Right To Play
Photo by Mike Riderwood » Inspired by his generosity, Right to Play Athlete Ambassador, Canadian gold medalist speed skater, Clara Hughes, has provided further awareness and support for Right to Play. Despite Canadian athletes not receiving bonuses, Clara donated $10,000 of her own money after winning gold in the 5000m women’s speed skating event in Turin. Clara is determined to garner support from the public and business communities to support the most disadvantaged children in the world through Right to Play. She has asked Canadians to donate whatever they can and is challenging Canadian businesses to match her donation. (US dollars would also happily be accepted) [ link ]
One of our Speakwell speakers and a good personal friend is Silken Laumann, who is the International Board of Directors Chair and Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play. Last year Silken visited Sudan and Tanzania to help support the play and health initiatives going on in those countries. 
« Silken and Johann joining in on the Play Day activities with the children of Lugufu Refugee Camp
 In a broader attempt to spread the doctrine of the joy of play, Silken has just announced the release of her book, “Child’s Play”, which stresses the importance of free, creative play for children not only in developing nations but also right here at home in Canada and North America. She says, "I want to live in a community where children play in the park and walk to school with their friends; a community where children imagine the ravine as the secret headquarters for the good guys; I want them to lose themselves, hose in hand, creating a big mud puddle in the backyard, then hear them splash and scream with laughter as they run through it; I want to meet other parents at the park to share a laugh or lend an ear while our kids are dreaming up adventures. I want to help create that community."Click to order Child’s Play by Silken Laumann.
I will give the last word in this article to a Right to Play volunteer, Kim Barry, who worked with the program in Uganda. |
of the treatment has been good and Simon has entered the world of work as Marketing and Fundraising Coordinator for the Right to Play Organization and I don’t know of a better person to promote the importance of the right to play than Simon. He’s also been named as the global spokesperson for the enzyme replacement therapy drug, Elaprase, by Shire Pharmaceuticals, who manufacture the experimental product of which Simon has been a beneficiary. [link: 
AIDS. Sport and play bring children and their community’s together, it is amazing to see how children love to kick a ball around the field, even if that ball is made out of plastic bags and banana leaves. In Kampala our project’s goal was to work with local organizations to have their coaches regularly implement programs to children. Ultimately, Right To Play would like to step back and have local ownership, by involving local coaches, and advocating for sustainability. One of my local projects worked with children who had disabilities in school and after school programs. This project was near and dear to my heart, many children who have special needs are hidden in their homes because their families are ashamed of them and the communities fear catching their disability. Although this group was located about five hours from where we lived, I visited as much as possible to ensure regular programming. The local coaches are fabulous, and with supports and training, provide an excellent quality programs to over two hundred children with special needs. 
"By the time my year contract was coming to an end, we all joked about the fact all my clothes had a tint of orange from the bright red soil, which always ended up all over the tiles in our house, as well as my skin. The children who had participated in a sports festival, in December 2004 for World Aids Day had received a t-shirt for their involvement. For months everywhere I went I saw these bright yellow t-shirts worn with pride all over the place. In some of these projects, the kids played football, or volleyball everyday and these shirts are worn everyday. I had been in Uganda for about 6 months, learning a few important local phrases, and could now easily give directions to tourists or taxi drivers who had no idea how to get to Bugolobi (were my house was). I had one of my favorite moments I was walking down the road and a bunch of children saw me and started yelling “Right to Play” I was so excited that kids recognized me, but of course not me personally, because Right To Play is bigger then any one person. We are all part of a team that makes the projects successful. Right to Play gives these children something to look forward to everyday, and the smiles on the kids face are proof, that these activities improve the quality of life for many children.”
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