Children need to play. Is there any more simple or universal a prescription for healthy child development? The Latin root of “play” is plicare, which means “to create anew.” TGUP is helping with this mission by funding playgrounds in developing world villages.
In January, we helped fund an 8-structure playground for the 500 children at the Olmoti village school near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The structures included swing sets, slides, teeter-totters, monkey bars, and climbing structures. The children LOVE to play on them.
In Kenya, we recently completed a similar playground, with similar equipment. All of the structures are made of industrial strength piping to endure decades of hard pounding by 400 exuberant children. They are helping the children at the Shining Star school in Nyeri have a more bounteous childhood.
By building the equipment ourselves, from common industrial materials, we greatly reduce the cost, usually by more than 60% compared to commercially available alternatives. The only skill required is welding, which is commonly available in most settings. Building ourselves also employs local workers in remunerative work that helps their communities.
