The LEGO Foundation and KIRKBI, owners of the LEGO Group, have announced grants totaling 100 million Danish Kroner ($15.7 million) to assist vulnerable children in Haiti and Afghanistan.

The commitment includes 30 million DKK ($4.7 million) awarded to UNHCR — the UN Refugee Agency, 20 million DKK ($3.2 million) awarded to UNICEF; 35 million DKK ($5.5 million)  awarded to Education Cannot Wait (ECW); and 15 million DKK ($2.4 million) to be distributed at a later date as the needs of the emergencies unfold. According to the foundation, before the current political crisis, almost half the population of Afghanistan, including 8.2 million children, needed humanitarian and protection assistance, and since May 2021, more than five hundred thousand people have been displaced. Those who have fled the crisis require immediate and ongoing support, especially families and young children. In Haiti, the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck on August 14, followed by Tropical Storm Grace, has left five hundred thousand Haitian children with limited or no access to shelter, safe water, health care, and nutrition while COVID-19 remains an imminent threat.

"These grants are an important part of our ongoing commitment to supporting children affected by crises," said LEGO Foundation CEO John Goodwin. "We know that by giving attention to young children and their continued access to learning in crisis settings, especially their early stimulation needs, we can make a big positive difference to them immediately and in the long-term. Together, we hope to provide more children with access to early childhood and education services needed to develop skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving. Social and emotional skills are vital for children to overcome the stressors caused by crisis situations and build resilience and adapt to the needs of the rapidly changing world."

(Photo credit: Gettyimages / Juan Monino)