Organization’s Mission
Kids Play International’s (KPI) mission is to promote gender equity through sport and Olympic Values in post-genocide affected countries. Founded in 2008 by 3-time Olympian Tracy Evans-Land, KPI leverages the power of using less familiar sport in a safe space to empower girls and educate boys so together and separately they can positively challenge and shift harmful gender, social and cultural norms. Building on our 10 years in Rwanda, KPI launched a second program site in the village of Ang Chagn outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2018.
Sport has the powerful ability to reduce restrictions in society, and provides a unique environment where harmful gender norms can be renegotiated. Research shows that sport for development programs like KPI are effective at empowering girls and developing supportive young boys. Sport provides a unique environment where harmful gender norms can be renegotiated. Having boys help to shift the dominant norms about gender and masculinity is key to finding a healthy gender balance.