RIGHT TO PLAY DONATES PLAYING MATERIALS VALUED AT UGX 58 MILLION TO TEN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS IN OBONGI DISTRICT.
By Our reporter
Obongi, Uganda – 14, February , 2026: A boost for early‑learning in the district of Obongi has taken a new twist.
In a ceremony held at St. Mary’s Nursery and Primary School, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Obongi, Mr. Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, handed over a consignment of educational play kits worth more than 58 million Ugandan shillings to ten early‑childhood development (ECD) centres across the district.
The donation, organized by the international non‑governmental organisation Right to Play, was presented alongside the project’s local coordinator Ms Rachel Dushiime and Right to Play representative Mr Remo Ratib.
Each centre received a set of age‑appropriate learning tools, including:
Building bricks – compatible with the LEGO® system, encouraging spatial reasoning and creativity.
Wooden numbers and letters – for early numeracy and literacy activities.
Abacus units – to develop counting skills and mental arithmetic.
Metallic storage boxes – to keep the materials safe and organized.
The kits were procured with funding from the LEGO Foundation of Denmark, a longtime partner of Right to Play that supports play‑based learning in low‑resource settings.
Reactions from school leaders
Ms Biryeri Edith, Director of St. Mary’s Nursery and Primary School, welcomed the gift, stating, “These resources will raise the quality of teaching and learning in our classrooms. We are committed to keeping St. Mary’s the leading academic institution in Obongi.”
Ms Maneno Inocent Juma, Director of Progressive Nursery and Primary School, echoed the sentiment: “The new materials will enrich our curriculum and give our children the hands‑on experience they need to thrive.”
Both directors emphasized that the donation arrives at a critical time as the district works to improve enrolment rates and learning outcomes in its ECD network.
RDC and Right to Play’s perspective
RDC Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka praised the partnership, noting, “Education is the cornerstone of development. Right to Play’s contribution aligns perfectly with our district’s vision to provide every child with a solid early foundation.”
Ms Rachel Dushiime, Project Coordinator for Right to Play Uganda, explained the broader goal: “Play is a powerful vehicle for learning. By supplying these kits, we are enabling teachers to deliver interactive, child‑centred lessons that improve language, math, and problem‑solving skills.”
Why it matters:
Uganda’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) policy underscores the importance of play‑based learning, yet many rural centres lack the basic tools to implement it. According to the Ministry of Education, only 38 % of ECD facilities in the North‑East region have adequate learning materials.
The Right to Play donation, therefore, addresses a tangible gap, offering:
Enhanced teacher capacity – tangible resources to complement lesson plans.
Improved learning outcomes – research shows that children exposed to structured play demonstrate higher literacy and numeracy scores.
Community engagement – parents and local leaders see tangible investment in their children’s futures, fostering greater school attendance
Right to Play plans to monitor the impact of the kits through follow‑up visits and teacher training sessions over the next twelve months. The organisation also hopes the success of this rollout will encourage further collaborations with the LEGO Foundation and other donors to expand the programme to additional districts.
The donation marks a significant step toward strengthening early‑childhood education in Obongi, offering children the “right to play” that is essential for their development and long‑term success.
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