Playing and sports facilities are rare in Bangladesh, where rapid urbanization and overpopulation result in a constant lack of space, especially in the big cities. Those schools that have sport grounds most often lack the necessary equipment. Furthermore, the fact that hardly any urban children know how to swim in a country as full with rivers as Bangladesh leads to an increased death toll among children due to drowning.

In answer to this problem, HOPE’87 Bangladesh with support of the Foundation UNESCO, organized a programme to engage children in sport activities. Numerous sport events and competitions were organized and a toy library was established where marginalized children from Dhaka and Jessore district could borrow various game and sport equipment. Swimming classes were offered to urban children.