Building Confidence and Opportunity Through Play: On the Ground with a Right To Play Ambassador
From a young age, Duan Asemota learned that sport is a universal language.
Duan, an Olympic Track & Field athlete who competed for Team Canada at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, has been a Right To Play Ambassador for the last year and was recently able to visit Right To Play programs in Rwanda.
Duan’s appreciation for sport and its ability to unite, inspire, and educate, started at a young age. In Grade 4, he traveled to Nigeria, where his parents are from, and spent time playing soccer with children in the surrounding neighbourhoods. Despite their differing backgrounds, a connection was formed. That early experience showed Duan how play can break down barriers and create confidence, equality, and belonging - values that closely align with Right To Play’s mission.
Throughout his life, those beliefs have been reinforced and were most recently brought to life during his experience in Rwanda.
While in Rwanda, he witnessed how Right To Play has become embedded within the education system, working alongside government curriculum to deliver play-based learning to thousands of kids across the country. In classrooms, students learned through games, movement, and collaboration, building confidence and engagement beyond traditional textbook learning.
“As an Olympian, many of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in life didn’t come from a classroom, but from sport itself,” said Duan. “That’s why seeing play-based learning in action through Right To Play made so much sense to me. It creates a strong balance between activity, engagement, and education.”
One of Duan’s highlights of the visit was seeing students involved in Right To Play’s STEM programming. Using resources at their disposal (which is often limited), students built robotics and technical projects, including a working elevator made from cardboard, an electrical school alarm system, and a model health centre connected to an irrigation farm. The students shared how their ideas could help their communities—demonstrating creativity, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
“Seeing [programs] firsthand in Rwanda showed me how powerful Right To Play’s impact is,” noted Duan. “In a short period of time, Right To Play helped transform schools by building confidence in students, increasing engagement from families, and strengthening surrounding communities. When kids are supported, it doesn’t just change the classroom, it creates positive growth throughout the entire community,” he said. “Many of the students spoke about how their projects could help others, solve problems, or improve daily life. Right To Play helps give these kids the tools and confidence to believe their dreams are possible.”
For Duan, the trip also highlighted the meaningful role athletes can play, beyond sport. Interacting and engaging with youth as they discover new abilities, as well as simply just showing up - can carry real impact.
“Overall, the trip showed me how powerful sport, education, and representation can be when combined, and how meaningful the role of athletes [and Ambassadors] can be in inspiring and uplifting young people through [organizations like] Right To Play.”
To supporters of Right To Play, Duan’s message is simple: your support is changing lives. By investing in play-based learning, you are helping children build confidence, strengthen communities, and imagine brighter futures.