PLAY Rwanda launches its first kit entitled “Égaux = Turareshya in Kinyarwanda” to combat gender stereotypes through sport.

As part of the Toutes En Sport project, PLAY International Rwanda has officially launched its first educational kit promoting equality between girls and boys. The kit, entitled “ Égaux (Equal in English/ Turareshya in Kinyarwanda), is an innovative educational tool designed to challenge gender stereotypes among children through sport and play. It is the first kit to be produced entirely in Rwanda!

To roll out this kit and make it a reality, 44 coaches, half of whom are women, were trained over a three-day period. These coaches come from 22 sports clubs that are partners of Play International and are based in the Eastern Province and Kigali City made of Gasabo, Rwamagana and Kirehe. The kit uses an educational method that combines structured games and guided discussions (debates), a method known as ‘Playdagogy’. This method is new to Rwanda, as the Play International office there only opened last year. By combining play and pedagogy, Playdagogy encourages children to reflect on their experiences during play and to question the social norms that influence their daily lives.

The Égaux kit addresses key themes such as stereotypes, gender diversity, self-confidence, leadership and solidarity. It offers interactive materials such as cards on household chores, professions and emotions to question representations of gender roles in society. After each activity, the coaches lead a discussion where children question their representations,

For example: ‘Do only women cook?’ or ‘Can a man be a nurse?’ The aim of the kit goes beyond simply raising awareness: the coaches involved in the project have learned to integrate this approach into their sports and community activities in order to promote more egalitarian attitudes between girls and boys. The aim is to use the games to build self-confidence, encourage diversity and, above all, promote equal participation of girls and boys in everyday life. 

Now equipped with the necessary tools, this first cohort of coaches is returning to their clubs with a powerful lever for change. By applying Playdagogy during their sports training sessions, these coaches are becoming agents of change, capable of encouraging respect, openness, inclusion and equal opportunities for all children.

The launch of the Égaux kit marks a significant step towards equality between girls and boys in sport and in everyday life in Rwanda, paving the way for a new generation capable of imagining a future without stereotypes, barriers or limits.