ChildFund and World Rugby ‘pass it back’ to change children’s lives through sport

ChildFund is a global alliance of child-focused international development organizations which assists more than 14 million children and their families in over 60 countries.

With a long-standing and trusted presence in many of the world’s poorest communities, ChildFund works in partnership with children, their families and local organizations to achieve lasting change, respond to humanitarian emergencies and promote children’s rights.

ChildFund implements programs to improve education, healthcare and child protection. It also delivers programs to build the resilience of children and youth, including sport for development – most notably the highly successful ChildFund Pass It Back program.

ChildFund Pass It Back is an innovative sport for development program led by ChildFund in partnership with World Rugby, Asia Rugby and Women Win that delivers an integrated life skills and rugby curriculum for children and young people in disadvantaged communities across Asia. With a focus on gender inclusion, more than half of all players and coaches are female. The program’s objectives are to equip children and young people in Asia to overcome challenges, inspire positive social change and ‘pass it back’ to their communities.

World Rugby is the international governing body of rugby union and is committed to the growth and sustainability of rugby around the globe, underpinned by the values of integrity, respect, solidarity, passion and discipline.

Linked to the objectives of its Spirit of Rugby programme, World Rugby recognises the important role rugby has in fostering societal development and has a proud history of leveraging the global reach of its showcase tournament, Rugby World Cup, to engage fans and support programmes which use rugby as a tool for positive social change.

World Rugby and ChildFund have been working in partnership in recent years to deliver the successful ChildFund Pass It Back program. Both organisations are committed to ensuring that Rugby World Cup 2019 leaves a lasting legacy in Asia – to promote and develop the game of rugby in the region, and to build stronger communities. ChildFund Pass It Back is a key component of World Rugby’s Impact Beyond 2019 Programme.

Funds donated in the lead up to and during, Rugby World Cup 2019 will help children and young people from disadvantaged communities across Asia and assist with emergency relief efforts in disaster-affected areas in Japan.

The ChildFund Pass It Back program will be expanded to support more young people in Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines, and will be extended to other developing countries in the region. Many more young people will develop their leadership and life skills through this rugby-based development program.

Children and young people will also benefit from other (separately funded) ChildFund programs in areas such as education, healthcare and child protection.