Home / Inspiring / Good News

LEGO Foundation Donates $143 Million to Organizations That Help Early Childhood Development

By Margherita Cole on February 21, 2022

Nearly 100 years after their invention, LEGO toys continue to be discovered and enjoyed by kids from around the world. Now, The LEGO Foundation is giving back to children for its 90th anniversary. LEGO CEO Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen wants to address a “global early childhood emergency” brought upon by the pandemic by donating $143 million to organizations that “make a positive impact on the youngest children anywhere in the world.”

The Build A World of Play Challenge invites innovators of early childhood education and care to apply for grants from The LEGO Foundation. “All children have the right to feel safe and have access to quality education and healthcare. But to date, early childhood development has been not just under-recognized, but grossly underfunded,” Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, chair of the Board of Directors at The Lego Foundation, explains.

It is the foundation's hope that this challenge will encourage people from around the world to place an emphasis on childcare. “We must start building a world that puts the youngest in society first: building cities, education systems, healthcare systems, and solutions to save our planet, at the forefront. This competition is an opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of the youngest children,” says Albrectsen.

All entrants must register online by April 7, 2022. Five organizations from around the world will be awarded the grant of $143 million, and 10 more organizations will be chosen as finalists and receive $1 million to bolster their progress. “This Challenge will amplify holistic solutions that focus on young children, and children's play, to ensure their long-term resilience and well-being,” says Kristen J Molyneaux, vice president, Program Strategy and Learning, Lever for Change.

Visit Build A World of Play Challenge's website to learn more about this amazing project.