The LEGO Foundation is committing $97 million to expand educational programs in conflict zones, stepping in as government development assistance declines worldwide. The announcement Wednesday marks a significant private-sector response to a gap left by reduced international aid spending, particularly following U.S. budget cuts.
Under a five-year partnership with the International Rescue Committee, the initiative aims to reach 5 million children across East Africa and the Middle East through play-based learning programs. The flexible funding model reflects a pragmatic approach to addressing humanitarian needs in unstable regions where traditional government aid mechanisms often prove rigid and slow to adapt.
The Partnership Model
LEGO Foundation CEO Sidsel Marie Kristensen emphasized the importance of agility in the current global environment. "In the world we are living in right now, nobody knows honestly what is happening tomorrow or in two months," she said. The foundation's framework is designed to redirect resources as conflicts evolve, rather than locking funds into place-based grants that quickly become obsolete.
Countries currently under consideration for the program include Ethiopia, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Uganda. The LEGO Foundation will focus resources on children "in the most dire contexts," according to Kristensen.
The investment expands an IRC-led program called PlayMatters, which trains teachers to integrate play-based learning into instruction for children ages 3 to 12. Rather than imposing a top-down curriculum, the program helps educators tailor instruction to local needs and traumatized student populations. Program leaders also work with government officials to embed materials into national curricula, creating sustainable institutional change.
Measurable Results in the Field
At Nakivale settlement in western Uganda, where teachers serve refugee populations, the PlayMatters approach has produced concrete outcomes. Teacher Sister Kasingye Secunda reported reduced absenteeism after implementation. Students who struggle with language barriers—many understanding neither the local language nor English—have shown improved engagement through game-based learning activities that build confidence and leadership skills.
"Learners enjoy the lessons," Secunda said. "They are eager to come to school."
The program extends beyond classroom walls. From Ethiopia to Tanzania, a radio show helps children identify emotions through episodes in multiple languages featuring culturally familiar characters. PlayMatters Project Director Martin Omukuba noted that digital delivery reaches schools in South Sudan that become inaccessible by flooding for half the year.
Filling a Funding Void
The partnership reflects a broader reality: private philanthropy is increasingly compensating for government aid reductions. Kristensen stated explicitly that "development aid is decreasing," citing cuts by the United States and many European nations.
IRC President David Miliband pointed to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo as evidence of the consequences. Sanitation and handwashing programs in the Congo's Ituri province lost U.S. funding last year as part of the Trump administration's dismantling of international development programs. "We warned at the time what the risk was," Miliband said. "And sure as night follows day, we end up with an under-detected Ebola outbreak."
Omukuba emphasized the practical value of the LEGO Foundation's flexible funding model. When refugee class sizes jump from 25 to 150 students—a common occurrence in conflict zones—new demands emerge for sanitation, nutrition, and other classroom needs. Traditional education grants cannot accommodate such rapid shifts. "We need first to make sure that children are alive," Omukuba said. "We can introduce the education when they are stabilized."
A Seventh Year of Collaboration
This commitment builds on an existing relationship. In 2019, the LEGO Foundation committed $100 million to "Ahlan Simsim," a show developed by the IRC and Sesame Workshop to help children affected by Syrian and Rohingya refugee crises. The Denmark-based corporate foundation has been scaling up its donations in these settings as part of a broader focus on early childhood development.
Kristensen announced a separate $30 million partnership with Co-Impact, a global funding collaborative, to support locally led solutions for children impacted by conflict and crisis.
Patty McIlreavy, president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, framed the announcement as a model for donors navigating complex, open-ended conflicts. She noted that education has historically been underfunded in humanitarian responses, even before wealthy nations reduced aid budgets. Traditional definitions of humanitarian assistance focused narrowly on "what do you actually need to keep the body alive," excluding "life sustaining" efforts such as education.
"It's not our role as philanthropy to fix what's broken in a country," McIlreavy said. "That's politics. That's bigger than us. But there's so much we can do — even by offering six months or a year of education."
Kristensen called for greater collaboration among governments, civil society, and the private sector in addressing humanitarian challenges as traditional aid structures contract.
Why This Matters:
This partnership illustrates a critical shift in how humanitarian challenges are being addressed as government development budgets contract globally. Private philanthropy is filling a void that government aid once occupied, but with greater flexibility and responsiveness to on-the-ground realities. The LEGO Foundation's model—emphasizing agile funding that adapts to evolving conflicts rather than rigid, place-based grants—offers a template for effective resource deployment in unstable regions. The program's focus on measurable outcomes, local adaptation, and sustainability through government integration reflects sound management principles. As development assistance continues to decline, the capacity of private donors to respond quickly and efficiently becomes increasingly consequential for vulnerable populations. The question of whether philanthropic solutions can sustainably replace government aid commitments remains open, with implications for both humanitarian effectiveness and the proper role of state versus private institutions in addressing global crises.