Facilitators

The heart and soul of what we do, is supporting our youth-led Play for Peace Clubs. Play for Peace is focused on supporting youth leaders, comprising multiple ethnic groups and functioning as cohesive working teams, developing their Play for Peace understanding and skills. They then facilitate experiential processes and activities with children throughout the year, as well as implement self-initiated peace-building experiences in the broader community.

Youth today shapes the leaders of tomorrow

Play for Peace Clubs

Play for Peace clubs are groups of young people that implement Play for Peace activities in their neighborhoods, schools, communities, and organizations across the globe. Locally operated, clubs are run by at least five youth (15-25 years old) with the support of an adult mentor and initiated to create peace in communities experiencing conflict.

Afghanistan

A completely landlocked country in south-central Asia, Afghanistan has a population of almost 30 million people. The country has suffered much political and economic instability throughout its history, including many decades of civil war. In August 2021, the 20-year US-led military presence in the country ended. The transition of power was marked by chaos, violence, and mass evacuations of foreign nationals and Afghan citizens. The new government has raised concerns about human rights violations, particularly regarding women and minority groups, and the potential for increased violence and instability in the region. The international community, including the United Nations and various governments, has called for protecting Afghan civilians and forming an inclusive government.

Unfortunately, the Omid Play for Peace Club in Afghanistan was closed due to the circumstances. For years they worked tirelessly to create community engagement and participation, spread a culture of peace, and promote coexistence between and within local communities. The group brought laughter and joy to Afghan children who have suffered decades of war, violence, and conflict. They focused on helping these children cope with social disputes and inter-ethnic tensions and strengthening community participation and inclusion.

Their work began after certified trainers Swati Bhatt and Agyatmitra Shunya facilitated a training in Delhi, India, in January 2019 with several local peacebuilders who planned to bring Play for Peace to Afghanistan. After intense efforts to introduce Play for Peace concepts there, in February 2019, trainer Shafi K. and fellow participants held the first consultation meeting on how to utilize Play for Peace’s methods and practices in the Afghanistan community. In March 2019, the Omid Club was established but was closed in mid-2021 for the safety of the Play for Peace members and their community.

IDP Project

Location: Herat, Kabul

Mentors:

Partner: JRS

Description

To be added

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Burundi

One of the smallest, yet most densely populated countries in Africa, Burundi shares a border with Rwanda, Tanzania, and Congo. In 2016, the country was ranked 184 out of 188 in the Human Development Index and is considered one of the poorest countries in the world. Like neighboring Rwanda—which experienced the unspeakable horrors of genocide when the Hutus attempted to decimate the Tutsi population in 1994—Burundi has faced ethnic violence and massacres between the two groups since gaining independence in 1962. Although peacekeeping attempts have been made and some of the violence has subsided, the situation in the country is unstable. In 2015, new conflicts broke out due to the president’s decision to run for a third term, causing hundreds of deaths and and many people to flee the country.

The group in Burundi officially registered as a Play for Peace club in May 2019, with THARS as its partner organization. They are eager to work with the global learning community and connect with Play for Peace clubs around the world, sharing the same values of cooperation, inclusion, caring, and fun.

Healing Play

Location: Bujumbura, Burundi

Mentors: Obed Nijimbere

Partner: THARS

Description

In February 2019, Play for Peace trainers Sam and Sarah Towers visited Burundi, hosting peace sessions with students, teachers, and staff in six different schools and working with partner THARS (Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services). Since Play for Peace uses cooperative play to release tension and help people cope with trauma, THARS was very interested in learning about its methodology and integrating Play for Peace into its sessions. After the success of these sessions, the group in Burundi officially registered as a Play for Peace club in May 2019, with THARS as its partner organization. Called the Healing Play Club, the group is eager to work with the global learning community and connect with Play for Peace clubs around the world, sharing the same values of cooperation, inclusion, caring, and fun.

El Salvador

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America though it is the 3rd densely populated country in the region. El Salvador first achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American federation in 1839.

A peace agreement by the United Nations ended the 12-year civil war in 1992, but the country still suffers from a divided society. Violent “mara” street gangs have left the country with one of the world’s highest murder rates.

Central America has consistently been among the most violent regions in the world for the past 40 years. Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador – also called “the northern triangle” are still experiencing the aftermath of decades of Civil War in the region that left a legacy of violence and fragile institutions.

Play for Peace El Salvador Club was created by Fatima Landaverde, a native of El Salvador. She learned about Play for Peace a few years ago and immediately wanted to join our community and start a club in her home country. A passionate peacebuilder who works with local youth in Suchitoto, El Salvador, Fatima soon had the participation of young people in the area.

Suchitoto was very affected by the civil war that occurred between 1980 and 1992, and the people there are still dealing with its effects. Gang violence is a huge challenge for children and youth, not only the fear of violence but the concern that young people will join these gangs and continue the cycle of violence. For this community, Play for Peace is a chance for everyone to live in peace.

As of March 2022, the country experienced one of the deadliest days since the beginning of the pandemic from gang violence. Play for Peace El Salvador Club is up running in-person workshops again and gathering new youth from neighboring communities to come together and stand against the violence.

Sifais Club

Location: La Carpio, San Jose

Mentors: Fernando Bonilla and Diego Madrigal

Partner: SIFAIS

Description

The Sifais Club was started in 2018 at the SIFAIS community center in La Carpio, a community in San José. that is primarily populated by first and second generation Nicaraguan immigrants. Weekly play sessions bring together local children who are regularly exposed to violence, crime, and poverty and focus on non-violent education and inclusion, as well as giving positive feedback. The youth facilitators leading the activities have the unique opportunity to develop leadership and facilitation skills at a young age and in a safe environment.

Greece

Greece was hit very hard by the financial crisis of 2008–2009, and the country is still suffering today. The unemployment rate is high, the social system has almost collapsed, and many educated youth have left the country to find opportunity elsewhere. The country is also dealing with the effects of the civil war in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, which has forced thousands of people to flee their countries and settle in Greece. While the European government is working to find a solution to the refugee crisis, more and more lives are being devastated by the terror and violence of war.

Play for Peace Greece began when trainers Swati and Agyat came to the local Skaramangas refugee camp for a 10-day training in early 2017. The youth in attendance were deeply impacted and eager to learn how to facilitate Play for Peace sessions. They soon began gathering kids from the camp to play together, making them laugh and helping them forget all they had been through.

The Skaramangas group soon caught the attention of Olimpia Theodoli, founder of the children's charity Crete for Life. She invited youth leaders from the camp to facilitate play sessions in Crete for children from Chernobyl, who are still impacted by the 1986 nuclear plant explosion. Youth leaders there learned how to make children happy and that even if the world sees them as victims they can still be leaders in their communities. Inspired by their work at Skaramangas, many youth facilitators from the camp have moved to different countries and taken Play for Peace with them.

AMAL Club

Location: Athens, Greece

Mentors: Belen Ruiz and
Saam Murad

Partner: Skaramangas Refugee Camp

Description

The AMAL Club is comprised of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq who live in the Skaramangas Refugee Camp in Athens, Greece. Most of them speak English and Arabic, and some speak Kurdish. Supported by Drop in the Ocean, the AMAL club brings together participants three times a week in the camp’s community center. They aim to give children and youth hope while living in at the refugee camp, where the fluctuation of people in and out is very high. Youth and volunteers are exposed to Play for Peace methods and activities, and then take their learning to other places. Much like Athens was the cradle of democracy in the ancient days, it is now the cradle of Play for Peace Europe.

Crete for Life Club

Location: Crete Island, Greece

Mentors: Olimpia Theodoli

Partner: Crete for Life

Description

Crete for Life is a non-profit organization that, among other activities, supports sick and disadvantaged children by offering them a restorative summer holiday in Crete. These children, many of them coping with life-threatening diseases, might otherwise never experience a holiday. When founder Olimpia Theodoli met the Play for Peace club in Skaramangas in 2017, she was so impressed by their work that she invited the youth leaders to Crete to bring Play for Peace activities to Belarussian children who were still suffering from the aftermath of the 1986 nuclear explosion in Chernobyl. The program was so successful that it continued in 2018 with the Play for Peace groups from Galilee, Israel, and the Skaramangas refugee camp. Together, the youth leaders cared for and played with orphaned children from Belarus, which was an unforgettable experience for both the children and youth leaders.

Guatemala

Once the heart of the ancient Mayan civilization, Guatemala boasts a rich heritage that is still woven throughout its culture. Sadly, the country suffered a 36-year civil war that ended in 1996, a conflict that left the country deeply scarred. As a result, Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in the world and the indigenous population is largely affected by discrimination and lack of access to basic necessities and education. Youth are both victims and perpetrators of violence, and gang life is a daily reality. Violence has affected the population so much that the World Health Organization declared youth violence as a global health problem and has recommended the need for effective prevention programs.

Play for Peace is active in seven different communities, both urban and rural, and the clubs are diverse in population—made up of indigenous groups, a women's collective, and university students. All of the communities where Play for Peace is active struggle with poverty and violence. Youth facilitators there work to build relationships with the children they meet during play sessions, and most children return regularly to participate, learning to cooperate in a group and make new friends. Several children, who started out as participants, are now youth facilitators who bring change and peace to their communities.

The work of youth leaders in Guatemala is growing in number and impact. They will continue to bridge divides between ethnic groups and inspire hope in children and youth in communities affected by conflict.

Palencia Club

Location: Palencia, Guatemala

Mentors: Wendy Bamaca

Partner:

Description

Play for Peace Club in Guatemala Palencia Club Founded as Play for Peace Club: 2013Mentors: Wendy Bamaca Regional Coordinator: Andrés ArmasLocation: Palencia, GuatemalaFocus: Inclusion and social transformation, promoting social entrepreneurship and community healing.It began in 2013 through an agreement with USAID in a Violence Prevention Program. After completing the USAID project, the young motivated facilitators followed their club as volunteers implementing the methodology of Play for Peace for the prevention of School and Community Violence in schools and communities organized in Palencia, Guatemala.“In our Play for Peace group there is a strong level of companionship. You make new friends, share learning with others, help each other, and trust other people. This created important learnings like partnership and companionship throughout the whole group.” Widespread violence, income disparities, and social disintegration affects all of Guatemala deeply. As part of the Northern Triangle in Central America, it is considered one of the most dangerous areas in the world. In this region, youth are seen as both victims and perpetrators of violence with gang life a daily reality for the civilian population. The effect this violence has on the population is overwhelming, so much so in fact, that the World Health organization has declared youth violence as a global health problem and recommends effective prevention programs that include life skills and social development as well as school-based anti-bullying programs. Palencia is a small town on the outskirts of the most dangerous areas of Guatemala City and suffers from waves of violence that spill into their community. The Play for Peace in Palencia Club gives the children and youth and alternative to gang life. Founded in 2012 with funds provided by RTI, USAID and CECI as part of a violence prevention program the youth meet weekly, have an established youth board of directors and lead Practice Peace Sessions monthly in local schools.

Qawinaqel Club

Location: Palin Escuintla, Guatemala

Mentors: Teresa Raguay

Partner: Asociación Juvenil Poqomam Qawinaqe

Description

The Poqomam Qawinaqel Youth Association is currently led by young people and teachers who in 2008 received the Play for Peace training and now support their students to strengthen their leadership and contribute to create better citizens for the better future of their communities. Its focus is education, preserving the Poqomam culture, preserving land and natural resources, leadership and Peace.

Cuyuta Club

Location: Cuyuta Masagua, Escuintla Guatemala

Mentors: Israel del Aguil

Partner:

Description

This Club partner to Play for Peace is led by educators and volunteers committed to the formation and rights of children and Juventus. Its programs include violence prevention, citizen education. The strongest challenges they have on the high death and violence in their community. They use the Play for Peace process in schools, schools and youth groups organized on issues of leadership and peace.

Crete for Life Club

Location: Crete Island, Greece

Mentors: Olimpia Theodoli

Partner: Crete for Life

Description

Amarc Club

Location: Colomba Quetzaltenango Guatemala

Mentors: Alicia Agustin

Partner: Amarc

Description

AMARC is an association of women from different areas of Colomba who are dedicated to the development and construction of political thought. They got involved in the play for Peace because of their leader Alicia Agustin who was the youth leader of the first years of Play for Peace in Guatemala. Now she and her family and other women leaders work for Peace.

Kojb'iyin Juman Ajkoj

Location: San Raymundo Guatemala

Mentors: Estuardo Coc

Partner: Kojb'iyin Juman Ajkoj

Description

This youth organization has been a partner of Play for Peace for 10 years, where a large number of young people and teenagers have participated, as well as indigenous women. With its name it indicates it and when translated it means "Let's walk together" is an organization that is dedicated to the integral development of the community, watching over the rights of the people. Through their volunteer facilitators they implement the Play for Peace process in schools, institutes and communities organized with the objectives of preventing violence, creating peace, integration, and leadership for a better way of living together.

India

India is the seventh largest country in the world and the second most populated. Thousands of years of history have shaped the country, which is incredibly diverse in both culture and religion. While India is considered one of the fastest growing economies in the world—often called "newly industrialized"—large parts of the population suffer from poverty and lack of access to education and healthcare. Due to complicated social structures, many people also face discrimination and rejection.

Play for Peace India is in the 18th year of its journey, which started in 2000 in what was then the southern Indian state of Andra Pradesh (now Telangana). Since then, Play for Peace has worked with a variety of organizations that offer a diverse set of local experiences and address different developmental needs. Currently, the India program is the largest In the Play for Peace community. Each club addresses issues based on the community it serves, and major themes addressed include equality, inclusion, interfaith harmony, child and female empowerment, and making schools more equitable and inclusive to keep children in school and attract dropouts.

Requests for Play for Peace in India are constant , and our core values and activities there impact thousands of lives now and will continue in the future.

Karol Bagh YTH Peace Club

Location: Karol Bagh, Delhi, India

Mentors: Vijay Kumar

Partner: Ideal Youth Health and Welfare Society

Description

The Karol Bagh YTH Peace Club includes 20-25 youth from the marginalized Dalit and Muslim communities in Dehli. Around 80% of Dalit youth in this location are school dropouts and engaged in daily wage work (manual scavenging, housekeeping, and sanitation).The club meets daily to conduct Practice Peace Sessions and has taken on many other initiatives, including a library, career counseling services and workshops, a spoken English class, a digital learning and knowledge hub, training workshops on social and gender inclusion, and a community outreach program. The club's achievements include reconnecting 1,000 students with education—including youth who had been addicted to drugs, helping more than one hundred youth gain admission to universities; and organizing more than 50 campaigns to address an increased trend in liquor consumption.

Freedom Education Equity Leadership Club

Location: Patel Nagar, New Delhi, India

Mentors: Neelam Jajoriya

Partner:

Description

The FEEL Club focuses on working with children from marginalized communities. The club supports the children by providing a safe space to come together and study. Children are also supported through coaching classes to enhance their studies.

Jagran Club

Location: Taltala, Kolkata, India

Mentors: Sahil Balmiki

Partner:

Description

The Jagran Club was founded in 2013 with the mission of improving lives in Kolkata through practice peace sessions and social awareness campaigns. The treatment of women is a major focus for the Jagran Club, so much of the club's work work focuses on promoting inclusion and equal opportunities for girls and creating a community completely free of sexual abuse. The district faces other conflicts, such as drug abuse and HIV/Aids, which are also addressed. The Jagran Club consists of seven members who meet two to three times a week and on Sundays, bringing children together from different backgrounds and religions for play sessions that focus on cooperation, inclusion, and fun. The group also works with local NGOs and organizes street plays about relevant topics in the community, such as addiction, HIV/Aids, sexual abuse, and equality for girls and women. Our mission is to achieve peace and equality in the community, so that children and youth can grow up in a safe and protected environment, where they can achieve their dreams.

Disciples for Peace Club

Location: West Bengal, Kolkata, India

Mentors: Arzoo Shakir & Shahreen

Partner:

Description

After receiving Play for Peace training in 2016, the Disciples for Peace Club formed to work in communities in Kolkata dealing with issues affecting children and youth, such as underage labor and marriage, unemployment, prostitution, and involvement in drugs and crime. Due to these conditions, a majority of these children and youth also deal with depression and lack the support they need. The Disciples for Peace Club conducts regular Practice Peace Sessions in different communities in Kolkata and organizes youth awareness programs using Play for Peace tools such as cooperative activities, puppet storytelling, and street play. The Disciples for Peace Club hopes to bring positive change to the lives of local children and youth, just as Play for Peace has changed their lives for the better.

Pink City Jaipur Club

Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Mentors: Pawan Kumar

Partner: World Vision, Jaipur

Description

The Pink City Play for Peace Club works with public school and community children and youth in Jaipur, India, organizing events and weekly Practice Peace Sessions. Run by members of the World Vision Area Development project, the club works to build self-esteem, confidence, and faith in life of these children.

Khula Aasman Club

Location: Mankhurd, Mumbai, India

Mentors: Ragini Amol

Partner: Khula Aasman

Description

The Khula Aasman Mumbai Club is supported by Khula Aasman, a nonprofit organization based in Mumbai, India. Khula Aasman’s key area of work is blending art with social change, a relatively unexplored idea with huge potential for nurturing positive mental health and bringing different groups of people together. The Khula Aasman Club is made up of a group of volunteers that works with vulnerable children and communities using cooperative play and the arts. The club uses methods such as clay, paint, play, stories, poems, dance, music, yoga, and creative visualization to work with children during weekly Practice Peace Sessions and organized community service projects in Mumbai.

Mumbai Club

Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Mentors: Archana Magar & Neelu Grover

Partner: Viscomm 360 Communications

Description

Play for Peace Mumbai club is made up of a group of volunteers that works with vulnerable children and communities using play and arts. The group aims to promote relationships among people whose communities suffer from a history of cross-cultural tensions. An open space where everyone can experience the joy of play, the club conducts weekly Practice Peace Sessions using cooperative play, as well as clay, paint, play, paper, waste, stories, poems, dance, music, yoga, and the power of creative visualization to work with children. The club also conducts community service projects; sessions with cancer patients, women, and children at a local rehabilitation center; and with children and parents in family court.

Khel se Mel Club

Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India

Mentors: Kailas Kamble

Partner: World Vision

Description

In Indian society, the caste system and religion are dividing factors. To break down barriers, the Khel se Mel Club, in partnership with World Vision India, conducts Practice Peace Sessions with children and youth in Pune and in public schools to give socially excluded children the opportunity to build self-esteem, experience inclusion, and learn cooperation through play.

Hyderabad Club

Location: Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Mentors: Haseeb Jafferi & Diyanat Ali

Partner: Great Hyderabad Adventure Club

Description

Founded by Diyanat, Ali, the club's mentor, the Hyderabad Club works in local communities, schools and through special outreach programs to bring together children, youth, and adults across divides. The club has been consistenly working with a school called Vision Rainbow, where it has helped to build a community with parents, teachers, and kids of various backgrounds. The club has also created a community-based Bookshelf Library, which uses storytelling, reading, and Play for Peace methodology with local children.

FSL India Club

Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Mentors: Rakesh Kumar

Partner: FSL-India

Description

FSL-India is a leading youth development organization in India, focused on intercultural Learning through voluntary services and working to promote global understanding by providing youth volunteer and intercultural learning opportunities in different cultural contexts. This helps to break down boundaries and bring people together to work in harmony, with an understanding of people from different cultures and backgrounds. Annually, FSL-India mobilizes 1,500 and more young people from across the globe with the support of international partners and local NGOs.

Peace Game Club

Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Mentors: Farheen Anwer

Partner:

Description

The Peace Game Club is located in one of the weakest economic sections in Bangalore. Many families are laborers who stitch jeans and other clothing in small shops and at home. Made up of girls who join for peace sessions after they've finished domestic chores, the Peace Game Club doesn't draw boys, as they must go to work and come home late. The girls meet monthly for cooperative play sessions, where they can share their experiences and support one another.

Kashmir Club

Location: Jammu and Kashmir, India

Mentors: Mushtaq

Partner: ActionAid India

Description

The Kashmir Club is supported by ActionAid, a global movement of people working together to further human rights and defeat poverty for all. The club has around 400 youth volunteers in five district groups, all who work with children on the ground. Club members conduct Practice Peace Sessions in schools each week and local children look forward to learning through play and enjoying the activities conducted by the club.

Ekta ki Nayi Umang Club

Location: Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Mentors: Aarti Raikar

Partner:

Description

Aarti Raikar, mentor and founder of the Ekta ki Nayi Umang Club, started her work with Play for Peace as a volunteer and club member of the Karol Bagh Club in Delhi. After moving with her husband to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, she wanted to continue bringing laughter, compassion, and peace to children in her community. So in 2018, she began conducting play sessions and coaching classes for local children. After receiving a positive response from parents, she created the Ekta ki Nayi Umang Club—meaning the spirit of unity—and has continued leading sessions with children in her community.

Israel

Israel has been in conflict ever since its declaration of state in 1948. Since then, the inhabitants of this small Middle Eastern country have seen seven wars, and attempts to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been unsuccessful. Besides this ongoing, widely known conflict, the country faces many other challenges, including environmental issues and clashes between different cultural and religious groups.

Israel is one of the first countries where Play for Peace became active. Shortly after its founding in 1998, Play for Peace partnered with the Jerusalem International YMCA, working with mixed groups of Jewish and Arab children. While Play for Peace trainers visited many areas in the country, from Jerulsalem to Jericho, the next club was not initiated until 2014. Then, Sarah Gough and Craig Dobkin completed a 10-day training tour in Israel and Palestine, introducing Play for Peace to groups such as The Bedouin Girls Warm House Project, The Palestinian Center for Conflict Resolution in Jericho, a community group in Eilaboun, and a youth center and camp in Haifa. Another project with the organization Hand in Hand, an intentionally bi-cultural school, took place in 2016.

In 2017, a new club was formed in Galilee called Youth for Change Galilee with trainer and mentor Sa'eed Diabat. Their focus is on the environment, peace, and education,
particularly for marginalized Arab youth from different faiths who live in the region.

Youth for Change Galilee Club

Location: Nazareth, Gallilee

Mentors: Sa'eed Diabat

Partner: Youth for Change

Description

Youth for Change Galilee was started by Play for Peace trainer and mentor Sa'eed Diabat to bring more opportunity for education, community development, and social programs to Arab youth living in the Galilee region.Comprised of young boys and girls, ages 12-25 from different cities and villages in Galilee, the group initiates projects related to conflict resolution, tolerance, and diversity amid the complex reality of the Middle East. Youth members suggest project ideas, and then a volunteer team made up of a social worker, educators, and community activists help make their ideas a reality. Completed projects include cultural exchange, higher education awareness events, volunteering, and community building activities. The youth see a great importance in building a bridge between youths around the world. They believe that meeting youth groups from different cultures and countries can be a huge motivation for realizing your own power to create change and impact for the benefit of society.The idea of Youth for Change Galilee has been in the heart of Sa'eed Diabat since 2006, when he took part in the first Play for Peace certified trainers training in Israel. In 2015, Saeed formed the current volunteer team, which includes Siham Abu Hija (social worker), Salameh Zireni (educator and team leader), and Ahlam Aweid (educator and team leader). Since 2016, monthly sessions and workshops are held for local youth using Play for Peace cooperative activities and seminars.In summer 2018, youth leaders from the Galilee club traveled to Crete to work with the Play for Peace club at the Skaramangas refugee camp. Together, they led cooperative play activities for orphaned children from Belarus who were invited to participate in a summer project by Crete for Life. This unique project had an incredible impact on all of the youth leaders and children, who understood that cooperation and peace between different cultures is possible, and that laughter is a universal language understood by everyone.

Kenya

Although Kenya gained independence from Britain in 1963, the country still feels the effects of colonialism today; struggles around land and access to resources remains a source of conflict. People in Kenya have dealt with ethnic conflict as well—the most serious ones arose in 2007 and 2008 from disputed presidential elections. Children in Kenya are often the most affected by conflict. Since many experience or witness violence on a regular basis, they often don’t know how to resolve conflicts, or avoid them altogether.

In 2013, Play for Peace trainers Thozi Ndlazi from South Africa and Lolo Evans from the United States conducted a series of Play for Peace trainings in Kenya. As a result, groups in the areas they visited began practicing Play for Peace activities, using the power of play to bring people together in the area, despite conflict that existed. Later, in early 2019, Tacoma, Washington-based trainers Sam and Sarah Towers visited Kenya, where they knew the concept of Play for Peace had been introduced. They hoped to learn more about the needs and accomplishments of the people there in order to offer support. After many successful practice peace sessions, the Star Club, was formed.

Since the beginning of 2019, the Star Club, led by mentor Innocent Maina, has organized several activities and even participated in Earth Week. The Play for Peace global community is excited about the future of this club and its potential to bring laughter, compassion, and peace to children in Kenya.

Star Club

Location: Kisii, Nyanza

Mentors: Innocent Maina

Partner: Star Club

Description

In 2013, Play for Peace trainers Thozi Ndlazi from South Africa and Lolo Evans from the United States conducted a series of Play for Peace trainings in Kenya. As a result, groups in the areas they visited began practicing Play for Peace activities, using the power of play to bring people together in the area, despite conflict that existed. In early 2019, Tacoma, Washington-based trainers Sam and Sarah Towers visited Kenya, where they knew the concept of Play for Peace had been introduced. After conducting practice peace sessions in six different Kenyan schools, one of them recently formed a Play for Peace club in the city of Kisii, partnering with Star Club Kenya. Since the beginning of this year, the new club, led by mentor Innocent Maina, has organized several activities and even participated in Earth Week! The Play for Peace global community is excited about the future of this new club and its potential to bring laughter, compassion, and peace to children in Kenya.

Philippines

An archipelago in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is comprised of more than seven thousand islands between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. While the country has been Asia's largest Catholic country since Spanish colonial times, more than one hundred ethnic groups, a mixture of foreign influences, and a fusion of culture and arts have truly enhanced the Filipino identity. However, with all of the good there is also strife. Nepotism and corruption are apparent in the government, so youth are reluctant to serve in political positions. Poverty is also prevalent, particularly in the province of Cebu, forcing an increasing number of Filipinos to work abroad in order to provide for their families. Without family guidance, young people are more likely to get into trouble, teenage pregnancies are on the rise, and suicide rates are increasing.

Play for Peace Philippines works hard to promote leadership and empowerment. Workshops and sessions provide a safe space for children and youth to learn their potential and redirect their energy toward productive activities. The program brings together young people who have the same passion for growth and community service and connects them with mentors and organizations. Through their leadership, Play for Peace volunteers are involving local and school communities to discover the power of play.

Play for Peace Philippines is growing rapidly, as more youth volunteers are using cooperative play to bring together children in communities affected by conflict. As a result, the organization is developing a volunteer recognition program, so volunteers can track their community service activities and create a volunteer resumé. This volunteer recognition program will serve as a model for a future programs serving
the global Play for Peace community.

Argawanon Club

Location: Cebu, Philippines

Mentors: Richard De Los Reyes

Partner: Alliance of Argawanon Young Leaders

Description

Play for Peace Philippines began when Play for Peace board member John Guarrine facilitated a play session in Cebu. After attending the session, the group—supported by its partner the Alliance of Argawanon Young Leaders—conducted its first official play session with 60 secondary student council officers. The Alliance of Argawanon Young Leaders, which had been conducting experiential leadership camps in local remote villages, soon began integrating Play for Peace concepts and ideologies in all of their leadership efforts.The club's current focus is on addressing pressing mental health issues in the community. It is also working to use cooperative play to promote local growth, sustainability, and impact, and create youth facilitators who are inspired by creating peace and development through community service projects.

Cebu Club

Location: Cebu, Philippines

Mentors: Rita Nguyen

Partner: Mitzi Figueroa

Description

The Play for Peace Cebu Club was created in 2013 with the help of five volunteers, most notably Trainer Bre Segundo Abrea, who played a key role in the club’s expansion and initiatives. The club began facilitating quarterly play sessions in various schools and universities with Bre's mentorship and guidance. Volunteers then strengthened their Play for Peace skills through sessions provided by professional trainer Irvin Torralba, professional instructor and facilitator Kirk Patrick Castro, and Play for Peace trainers Richard De los Reyes and Anbern Guarrine.Today, the club works to strengthen the confidence, self-image, and morale of every volunteer,community member, and youth joining their sessions. Self-image is important, because how wethink about ourselves affects how we feel and interact with others andthe world around us. A positive self-image can boost physical, mental, social, emotional, andspiritual well-being. The club hopes that through the play sessions, they are able to boost the self-esteem of every community member.

Senegal

According to Human Rights Watch, as many as 50,000 children beg in the streets of Senegal, a former French colony in Africa. Even though it is one of the more politically stable African countries, poverty is a huge challenge that affects a large part of the country's population. Many children are forced to beg for money and food, which often leads to abusive and exploitative working conditions. Close to half of the population of Dakar, Senegal, lives below the poverty line (earning less than one euro a day), and 43% are illiterate. In the past, Senegal was seen as one of Africa’s model democracies, but internal conflict and lack of education and professional development have created dim prospects for the country's youth. Many of these children are also immigrants and refugees from neighboring countries without access to education or documentation.

Despite the reality of daily hardship, Play for Peace is thriving in the outskirts of Dakar. The Senegal club was founded late in 2014 and has been transforming local communities ever since. The leaders there are passionate about empowering others and creating peace, finding ways to transcend differences in language, culture, and religion in order to bring together children to play and learn compassion for one another. This includes El Hadj, a mentor who has dedicated his time and talents to bring together children from the poorest areas of Dakar, offering them meaningful activities, a safe space, and the opportunity to have fun together.

Play for Peace Senegal will continue spreading laughter and compassion to children and teens in their communities. This includes a new summer camp program created by El Hadj and his club that provides children a safe place to play and come together as a community.

Pikine Thiaroye Club

Location: Thiaroye, Dakar, Senegal

Mentors: El Hadj Beye

Partner: Yaakar, Citoyen des Rues

Description

The Play for Peace club in Pikine in the west of Dakar, Senegal, started in 2014. More than half of the children in the neighborhood live in extreme poverty, many are illiterate and spend their days begging in the street. The Play for Peace club focuses specifically on those street children, giving them the opportunity to experience safety and joy. Being on the street, many of them have to learn what it is to feel respect and how to be respectful to others. Many of the participants are regulars and know that when they are with Play for Peace they are safe and allowed to be kids.

Poland

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland welcomed about two million Ukrainian refugees, primarily women and children. After almost two years into the full-scale war, about a million of the UA refugees decided to make a living in our country. Integration remains a challenge. While trying to solve the problems of the million people needing assistance, immigrants, including people of color arriving via the Polish-Belarus green border, are challenging Poland's sense of homogeneity, with a predominantly white Catholic population since World War II. It all contributes to apprehension about diversity.

Urgent efforts are needed to promote coexistence and empathy in our irreversibly to become a diverse society.Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, our partner organization, KIK in Warsaw, has been helping those affected by the crisis. One of the KIK’s most essential tasks is to support children and young people from Ukraine and help them integrate with their Polish peers. KIK organizes summer camps, trips, and various activities for Ukrainian and Polish children throughout the school year, supporting over 1500 refugee children since the crisis began.In the spring of 2023, KIK organized a camp for Polish and Ukrainian leaders to integrate them and train them in leadership. Joanna Cutts, who has been volunteering in KIK since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, was the founder and inspiration for this initiative

Play for Peace trainers Richard Rutschman and Peg Dublin traveled to Poland
to provide staff and youth training in Motivational Interviewing and Experiential Learning. After a successful camp, Richard proposed cooperation with Play For Peace to KIK, which is how the first PFP club opened in Poland!

Warsaw Club

Location: Warsaw, Poland

Mentors: Maria Loskot, Ala Ivakina

Partner: KIK

Description

The club mentors are Maria Loskot from Poland and Ala Ivakina from Ukraine. This club started in October 2023 and meetings are twice a month. In January 2024, there was a first Practice Peace Session for refugee children from the Ocalenie Foundation led by the youth from the PFP club.

United States

The United States is a diverse melting pot of cultures, religions, and ethnicities, since for much of the country's history it has drawn people from across the globe to what is known as the "land of opportunity." Unfortunately, much internal conflict also exists. Discrimination against people based on gender, religion, race, and sexual orientation can be felt in areas throughout the country, and in far too many cases violence is the result. And in light of today's political landscape, the country has become even more divided by its differences. While our current programming is in Los Angeles, over the years
Play for Peace has worked extensively in Chicago, Denver, Baltimore and various other towns and cities.

The Heart of Los Angeles Club was started by 9th and 10th graders in Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), an organization that gives underserved kids an equal chance to succeed through a comprehensive array of after school academic, arts, athletics and wellness programs. The group works in central L.A., an area which has a particularly high concentration of new immigrants and first generation Americans struggling to make their way, which can sometimes make for a volatile environment, vulnerable to poverty and crime.

Play for Peace is the centerpiece of the leadership programming at HOLA. High school age youth facilitators lead monthly cooperative play sessions with younger students, and over 300 elementary and middle school age participants benefit from these activities.

Heart of Los Angeles Club

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Mentors: Loren Rubin

Partner: Heart of Los Angeles

Description

The Heart of Los Angeles Club was started by 9th and 10th graders with the help of their mentor and Play for Peace certified trainer, Loren Rubin, a senior program director for Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA). HOLA gives underserved kids an equal chance to succeed through a comprehensive array of after school academic, arts, athletics and wellness programs. The group works in central L.A., an area which has a particularly high concentration of new immigrants and first generation Americans struggling to make their way, which can sometimes make for a volatile environment, vulnerable to poverty and crime. Play for Peace is the centerpiece of the leadership programming at HOLA. Loren provides training for high school age youth facilitators, who in turn lead monthly cooperative play sessions with younger students. Over 300 elementary and middle school age participants benefits from these activities, which are led by their older peers. Sessions include team building activities and discussions about leadership, resolving conflict, celebrating diversity, and creating a more harmonious community. Service learning opportunities often grow out of discussions initiated by the group, taking the spirit of cooperation, inclusion, and caring and applying it to real world concerns the students have about their community and their world. Youth facilitators who lead these cooperative sessions have noticed an increase in respectful communication, especially among the older youth leaders.

Gems of Idaho Club

Location: Nampa, ID

Mentors: Richard Rutschman

Partner: Learning Peace, Inc.

Description

Based in Nampa, Idaho, Learning Peace is a small nonprofit day camp where children ages 6-13 can attend for free and learn skills for peaceful living. While planning the 2019 camp, Reverend Karen Hunter, who runs Learning Peace, remembered coming across Play for Peace several years ago and thought we could help decided to get in touch. The Learning Peace organization was looking for a way to expand and continue the program beyond age 13, and Reverend Hunter knew that Play for Peace was the answer. She asked if Play for Peace would be a part of the camp—which launched the Gems of Idaho club. In summer 2019, Richard Rutschman, a long-time Play for Peace certified trainer from Chicago, came to the camp for a training. The youth loved every minute and were soon leading Play for Peace games. They also received Play for Peace facilitator pins and are planning to meet twice a week as a club.

Chicago Goode Club

Location: Chicago, IL

Mentors: Roberto Valle and Kelly McCollom

Partner: Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy

Description

Based in Chicago, Illinois, Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy is one of the five Chicago Public Schools(CPS) Early College STEM that connects high school, college and the world of work to prepare students for technology jobs of the future. They aim to build a learning culture that nurtures creativity and sparks imagination, a culture where all feel compelled to develop lenses perceptive enough to see what has yet to be seen. Play for Peace started in 2019 as an avenue for students to interact and play while making a name for the school in promoting peace to counter the previous violence. “I need this”, one student states.

Vietnam

Declared a unified country in 1975 after a decades-long war resulted in colonization, Vietnam has a population of more than 96 million people and boasts one of Southeast Asia's fastest growing economies. However, much of its land remains contaminated by chemical agents, landmines, shells, and bombs. This after-effect of war has wounded or killed over 105,000 Vietnamese—many of them children. Currently, a large youth population is helping to develop the country and face these challenges head on.

In 2011, Play for Peace was invited to Vietnam and began working with Rita Nguyen, who is
currently a Play for Peace trainer and regional coordinator. After working with HIV children as a part-time consultant for an international non-profit organization, she joined a Play for Peace training that completely changed her path. Impressed with Play for Peace's
dedication to supporting the community and sharing their knowledge and skills, Rita and her teammates founded A New Day Social Work Club, one of Play for Peace's first clubs. The club works with those who are marginalized by society, children who have HIV, the LGBTQ community, children in rural areas, and people who are physically challenged. Now Rita is
inspiring a new generation to lead student and young professional volunteers.

Play for Peace Vietnam's work is supported by the local community, including Thich Nu Thien Luan, a Buddhist nun and educational project partner. Most of her community's
residents are domestic immigrants from northern and central Vietnam who lack money and education. When A New Day Social Work Club visited her temple, she observed many changes in the children there, including kindness and compassion for one another, confidence in themselves, and the motivation to make changes in their lives. Going forward, A New Day Social Work Group will continue its work helping children and teens facing social, cultural, and other conflict in Vietnam.

A New Day Social Work Club

Location: Ho Chi Minh City

Mentors: Phuong Q. Nguyen

Partner: A New Day Social Work Group

Description

A New Day Social Club was founded in 2011, after founder Rita Nguyen participated in an inspiring workshop in her city. Driven by her desire to help more vulnerable members of the community, Rita started Play for Peace in Vietnam with friends. A New Day holds regular practice peace sessions with children from different backgrounds and conducts special projects and activities that focus on the inclusion of marginalized community groups. The club regularly participates in training workshops and is an active part in Vietnam´s civil society that is working toward positive change.

Quy Nhon Club

Location: Quy Nhon City, Vietnam

Mentors: Tran Thi Thanh Tram

Partner: .

Description

Quy Nhon City, a coastal city in central Vietnam, does not have many effective education programs or places for children to play and develop their social skills. For this reason, Play for Peace Vietnam trainers conducted a two-day training in the area in July 2019, to see how the community would respond. The training was a success, and the group found that they were all very passionate about working with the community and educating children. Soon after, they agreed to vote on their core members and the Quy Nhon club was created. The group is both honored and excited to be a part of Play for Peace's network in Vietnam and hopes that the new club will create positivity and connection through educational games and become a place for people to exchange ideas and learn from one another.

Danang Club

Location: Danang, Vietnam

Mentors: Pham Phuong Thanh

Partner: Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy.

Description

In the community of Danang, people face many challenges: little opportunity for children to grow and gain life skills or create positive connections with others, few social activities for elders, and a lack of awareness about environmental issues. To combat these issues, in June 2019, our Vietnam training team conducted a training program for local youth who love volunteering. After two days of training, the group was inspired by the meaningful values communicated through the activities and wanted to spread them to more and more people. Soon after, Play for Peace Danang's leadership team and club was established. The club is excited to continue training and spreading positivity in Danang, with a mission to support the community, spread positivity, and create connections between people.

Non-Smoking Club

Location: Hanoi City

Mentors: Cao Huu Quang

Partner: Non-Smoking Club

Description

Non-Smoking Club (NSC) was established in August 2004. It began as a tobacco harm prevention program in the University of Public Health, with the common slogan “For a world without smoking." The members of the NSC's leadership team participated in Play for Peace Vietnam's 2-day training on Nov 23- 24, 2019 in Hanoi. At the end of the training, after learning a lot about peace games, techniques of experiential learning, and core values of Play for Peace Vietnam, they were greatly interested in them and decided to join the Play for Peace community. They committed to applying the values and those techniques into their volunteer work.The vice-president of NSC, Truong Thi Bich Tam, shared with us: "What makes me increasingly want to connect with NSC is that the members of NSC are extremely friendly. NSC is not only a club but also a family, where sophomore, junior and senior students feel free to exchange experiences and knowledge with each other. In November 2019, NSC has officially become a club in the Play for Peace network, this is really a new experience, as well as a challenge, a motivation for NSC to work more efficiently. Thanks, Non-Smoking club! Thanks, Play for Peace!". The club members are dynamic young people who are always ready to devote and wholeheartedly for society. Not only working together, experiencing, trying to bring better things to the community, this is also a place for members to share as a family.

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