Project Overview

Founded in 2010 by Olympian Tracy Evans-Land, Kids Play Rwanda is a community-driven initiative that uses sport as a catalyst for social transformation among youth in Gatagara and the Nyanza District. The organisation implements a trauma‑informed, standardised curriculum that leverages sport to challenge harmful gender norms, build social‑emotional skills, and promote mental health awareness. Through safe play spaces, trained facilitators, and inclusive activities, KPR supports vulnerable young people in developing resilience, confidence, and lifelong skills that contribute to healthier and more equitable communities.

Project Objectives

The project aims to create a nurturing and empowering environment for girls while intentionally engaging boys, parents, coaches, and influential community members in the process of reshaping gender norms. It seeks to promote education, mental health literacy, and gender equality across rural communities, strengthen the capacity of KPR coaches and youth leaders, and expand the organisation’s reach by scaling its sport‑based educational model to additional locations.

Key Activities

• All Girls United (AGU) Programme: The AGU programme includes 13 structured sessions, four intensive camps, and seven expanded sessions, collectively impacting 148 participants. Activities combine sport, mentorship, and participatory learning to build self‑esteem, leadership, and a sense of agency among adolescent girls.
• Play Fair Community Day Programme: This component delivers 40 community-wide sessions involving 2,640 participants, culminating in a youth‑led Olympic Day event. These activities promote inclusion, teamwork, gender awareness, and shared responsibility across mixed‑gender groups.
• Expanded Community Sessions: Ten sessions delivered in new venues — including schools, health centres, and emerging community hubs — have reached an additional 550 participants. This expansion introduces KPR’s methodology to broader segments of the community.
• Knowledge Sharing Sessions: Workshops involving 15 key influencers encourage shared learning and community ownership, while externally facilitated technical trainings for 35 coaches and youth leaders strengthen programme quality, gender‑sensitivity skills, and long‑term sustainability.

Expected Impacts

• Increased educational and economic opportunities for girls through strengthened life skills, leadership abilities, and access to safe activity spaces.
• Strengthened gender equality across communities as boys, parents, and leaders actively participate in awareness‑raising and behaviour‑change activities.
• More equitable and supportive environments fostered through trauma‑informed facilitation, consistent mentorship, and community engagement.
• Enhanced recognition of sport as a tool for social transformation, supporting long‑term behavioural and cultural shifts within participating communities.

Beneficiaries

• Direct beneficiaries: 3,275
• Indirect beneficiaries: 13,210

Project Costs

• Total project cost: USD 89,000
• Grant requested: USD 50,000