Photographer Alexander Meininger, inspired by his children and the war in Ukraine, has launched the charity Playrise. The organization designs and produces flatpack, modular playground equipment made from iroko hardwood for children living in refugee camps and disaster zones. Its first set will be sent to the Aysaita refugee camp in Ethiopia next month.
The initiative addresses the critical need for play and normalcy for the nearly 50 million children forcibly displaced worldwide. Developed with architects OMMX and engineers Webb Yates, the customizable equipment is designed to be easily assembled, reconfigured, and repaired in diverse and temporary settings, recognizing play as vital for child development and community building in protracted crises.