• First ever charitable partnership for RWC Sevens
  • Collaboration brings new opportunities for participation
  • Partnership supports life skills, gender equity and leadership

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 has partnered with ChildFund to help improve the lives of children and young people across Africa.  A first-ever charitable partnership for a Rugby World Cup Sevens, ChildFund and World Rugby have now partnered together on three successive Rugby World Cups, benefitting over 50,000 children around the world in the process.

ChildFund are set to support a festival of sevens rugby in Cape Town this September, having already been appointed Principal Charity Partners of Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand as well as taking on the same role at Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan.

ChildFund believes in the power of sport to change children’s lives and ChildFund Rugby, its rugby for development initiative, implements a range of innovative and award-winning sport for development curricula, giving children and young people from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to play, learn and lead. The organisation has also been at the heart of fundraising initiatives including Race to Rugby World Cup 2021, a challenge which sees Ron Rutland and Adam Nunn cycling from Japan to New Zealand ahead of Rugby World Cup 2021.

To celebrate the launch of the partnership, ChildFund have produced a short video showcasing a partnership in South Africa, which is using the Reconnect curriculum to encourage children and young people to both play and coach rugby, whilst also learning key life skills, including how to support gender equity and set goals.

Margaret Sheehan, CEO of ChildFund said “ChildFund is looking forward to using the power of rugby to positively impact the lives of children and young people across Africa. We are proud to partner for a third Rugby World Cup, and with the support of the rugby family in South Africa and beyond, we are excited to build on a growing legacy of more than 50,000 vulnerable children around the world that have had opportunities to play, learn and lead through rugby.”

Alan Gilpin CEO of World Rugby said “ChildFund have shown that they know how to use rugby to change lives and we’re delighted to be partnering with them again for Rugby World Cup Seven 2022 in Cape Town.  Together we will have befitted over 50,000 young people, showing solidarity, integrity and respect, the values that rugby is famous for being put into action.” 

For more information, visit http://www.childfundrugby.org/rwc-sevens-2022