Hello! My name is Thea Pilch and I have lived in Fairfield, on Bronte Avenue, my whole life. I attended Fairfield Park Lower School from 2009–2014 and I am now in my first year at the University of Bristol, studying History. 

This Summer I am headed to Kenya with Play Action International to build playgrounds for local school children. This great charity is committed to bringing play to disadvantaged children in the hopes of enriching their education and, in turn, their lives. 

The benefits of play have been proven time and time again. Perhaps most importantly, it is the most effective means of ensuring children attend and stay in school; something vital for children and families with an eye to escaping endemic poverty. As it stands 53 per cent of Kenyan children currently live in poverty with incredibly limited access to education. The work of Play Action International encourages local children to attend school but also enriches their psychological and interpersonal development. Further, having playgrounds in local schools offers children safe outlets to develop friendships, exercise and expand their creativity out of harm’s way – something so many of us take for granted here in Fairfield. 

Research has found that play-based learning initiatives implemented in disadvantaged communities across the world raised the school graduation rate by 44 per cent and the number achieving bachelor degrees by 17 per cent. Participants went on to achieve an employment rate 7 times higher than expected based on their level of educational attainment. Such figures highlight the lasting positive impact of play, something that is often deemed trivial or a luxury. 

Play Action International was established in 2009 and out of the schools they have built playgrounds for, 43 per cent reported a decrease in anti-social behaviour and 100 per cent noted a reduction in student absenteeism. It goes without saying that education is vital for all children, it is something that we are lucky enough to have good access to here in the UK and especially when we have the privilege of access to schools like Fairfield Park Lower. That is why the work of Play Action International and the pursuit of delivering play to students in less fortunate communities is vital. 

I will spend a month in a small village near Kisumu in Kenya from July to August 2024 at a primary school. My mornings will be spent assisting in the unskilled manual labour to build the playgrounds whilst the afternoons will be filled with play-based activities with children aged 4–12. 

You can donate to my trip by visiting my JustGiving page. All donations will be given directly to Play Action International so they can continue building playgrounds in the global south and enriching the lives of children around the world. I would be immensely grateful for any donations you could spare. 

If you have any questions about my trip please get in touch via email: theapilch12@gmail.com 

Huge thanks, 
Thea