Right To Play and the Liverpool FC Foundation Are Working Side by Side to Transform Children's Lives
Right To Play and the Liverpool Football Club Foundation are working Side by Side to use the power of sport and play to empower children in Thailand, Senegal, and beyond.
The game-changing partnership was launched in 2019 with a video narrated by the Reds manager and LFC Foundation Ambassador, Jürgen Klopp, that shows the power of sport and play in action.
We’re calling on the LFC family to join the Side by Side movement to help raise funds to provide children around the world with the skills and support they need to overcome the impacts of poverty, conflict, and disease, and become empowered to learn, lead, and succeed.
“We’re proud of our partnership with Liverpool FC Foundation and believe that it can create a lasting impact in children’s lives,” said Susan McIsaac, CEO of Right To Play International. “Liverpool FC is recognised around the world for its power on the pitch, and for using that power to improve the lives of children and young people. We are a global leader in protecting, educating, and empowering the world’s most vulnerable children to rise above adversity through the power of play. Working side by side with Liverpool FC Foundation allows us to combine our expertise to reach more children around the world and ensure they have the skills and support they need to learn, lead, and succeed.”
“Millions of children around the world are facing adversity and being forced to grow up too fast. Side by Side gives children the opportunity to rise above their challenges and thrive through the power of sport and play,” said Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool FC Foundation Ambassador. “Liverpool Football Club has the best fans in the world -- no matter where we live, we’re all part of the Liverpool family and Side by Side we can do anything.”
During this season’s UEFA Champions League competition, fans may have noticed the addition of the Side by Side logo on LFC’s kit. The logo patch is available to purchase from LFC stores for fans to add to their shirts. All the proceeds raised from sales of the Side by Side patch support the work of the Side by Side partnership.
Right To Play’s partnership with Liverpool FC Foundation kicked off in 2019 with a focus on supporting our work in Thailand. Since then, Side by Side programmes have expanded to include Senegal and will benefit children in other countries as the partnership develops.
In Thailand, Side by Side supports children in urban Bangkok to develop critical life skills, including leadership, self-confidence, communication, and resilience. The project develops and trains Youth Leaders to lead sport and play sessions and become champions amongst their peers and within their local communities. Youth Leaders also develop skills in organisation, planning, and community development that help them contribute to building their communities and supporting their peers. The programme also builds and rehabilitates play spaces to ensure young people have safe, accessible areas to play and learn.
In Bangkok, Thailand, we helped to provide sport and play sessions for 2,334 children, trained 72 young leaders and renovated four play spaces. Our work has been recognised at the highest level by the Football Association of Thailand, receiving the ‘Grassroots Award’ in 2022.
In Senegal, the Side by Side partnership will help adolescent girls and boys in the regions of Ziguinchor and Sédhiou to build life skills and challenge gender norms through sport and play.
For more information on the campaign, contact
Right To Play UK
Maider Lacalle Clemente
Tel: +44 (0)7923 574840
mlacalle@righttoplay.com
