How AI and Play-Based Learning Can Transform Mental Health for Refugees: Lessons from Uganda

Northern Uganda hosts over 1.5 million refugees, many fleeing conflict in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Amid this displacement, children face a dual crisis: 72% lack access to formal education, while 67% exhibit symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, or depression. Traditional interventions often fall short due to resource constraints, cultural barriers, and the sheer scale of need. However, innovative approaches combining AI-driven tools and play-based learning (LtP) are emerging as transformative solutions. Drawing from Uganda’s INCLUDE study and the Global Fund for Children’s PEAK initiative, this article explores how these strategies can rebuild resilience and hope for displaced communities.

The Power of Play: Insights from the INCLUDE Study

The INCLUDE study—a landmark research project in Germany and Uganda—revealed that play is not just recreation but a critical window into children’s mental health. Key findings include:

• Play development correlates with IQ scores and learning performance: Refugee children with advanced play skills showed 20% higher literacy rates.
• Trauma manifests in play: Emotionless or repetitive play behaviors (e.g., re-enacting displacement) signaled untreated PTSD, often missed by parent reports.
• Social play improves with stability: Longer residency in host communities correlated with richer social interactions during play.

These insights underscore play as both a diagnostic tool and therapeutic medium. For example, symbolic play (e.g., storytelling with dolls) allows children to process trauma non-verbally—a vital outlet in multilingual settings like Bidibidi Settlement, where 15+ languages are spoken.

Learning Through Play in Action: The PEAK Initiative

Uganda’s PEAK initiative, funded by the LEGO Foundation, demonstrates LtP’s scalability in humanitarian contexts. Key outcomes include:

• Creativity and confidence: Children used banana fibers and sticks to create toys, fostering problem-solving skills and self-esteem.
• Inclusivity: Play-based activities integrated sign language and adapted to children with disabilities, ensuring no child was excluded.
• Cultural preservation: LtP revived traditional games, helping children reconnect with their heritage amid displacement.

“Adults often overlook the child in the child—play restores their right to joy.”
— Joseph Sinyangwe, Creative Hands

AI’s Role: Enhancing LtP with Precision and Accessibility

While LtP lays the foundation, AI tools amplify its impact by addressing systemic barriers:

1. Trauma-Informed Chatbots:
   • Voice-based AI assistants (e.g., Sunbird AI’s NLP models) deliver cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) exercises in local languages like Acholi and Lugbara.
   • Example: A chatbot could guide a child through a play session, using folktales to teach coping strategies while analyzing vocal tones for signs of distress.
2. Predictive Analytics for Early Intervention:
   • Machine learning algorithms analyze play observation data (e.g., from the INCLUDE study) to flag high-risk children needing targeted support.
3. Low-Tech Solutions for High Impact:
   • Solar-powered tablets with AR sandboxes project interactive lessons onto physical play materials, adapting difficulty levels based on a child’s progress.

Ethical Considerations and Community Co-Design

AI’s potential is tempered by risks:

• Bias: Early models trained on Western data may misinterpret cultural nuances (e.g., communal play vs. individual achievement).
• Privacy: Refugee data must be anonymized and stored locally to prevent exploitation.

To mitigate these, projects must adopt participatory design:

• The INCLUDE study involved refugee parents in coding play behaviors, ensuring cultural relevance.
• Uganda’s TeamUp intervention trained refugees as facilitators, blending movement-based therapy with community ownership.

The Path Forward: Partnerships and Funding

To scale AI-LtP solutions, stakeholders must prioritize:

1. Philanthropic Alignment: Target grants like Elrha’s AI for Humanitarians Fund and the LEGO Foundation’s LtP grants.
2. Local-Academic Collaborations: Partner with Gulu University to develop language datasets and ethical AI frameworks.
3. Policy Advocacy: Push for Uganda’s National AI Policy (2024 draft) to include refugee-focused innovations.

Conclusion: Reimagining Mental Health Through Play and Technology

The fusion of AI and LtP offers a lifeline for Uganda’s refugee children—transforming play into a vehicle for healing, learning, and empowerment. As the INCLUDE study and PEAK initiative show, this approach is not speculative but actionable. By centering refugee voices and leveraging ethical AI, we can turn crisis into opportunity.

Further Reading

• Explore the INCLUDE study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10578-023-01584-z
• Learn about the PEAK initiative: https://globalfundforchildren.org/story/meaningful-child-participation-in-education-through-play-based-learning/