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Jemma Davey
Jemma Davey
"Our goal is simple: to build a safer future for Tonga by protecting the one thing every child needs—the right to play. It is the foundation for their health, their wellbeing, and their place in the community."
Above: Playgrounds installed to the highest of safety standards by founding members.
The Team Behind the Play
The Team Behind the Play
The Playworks Initiative started because a group of people with very different skills all wanted the same thing: a safer, better future for the children of Tonga.
The Safety Experts
Our technical foundation comes from over 25 years of experience. One of our members is a certified playground safety inspector who has spent decades building, installing and auditing play spaces across Australia and the Pacific. Working right alongside him for those same 25 years is our finance and support lead, who has managed the books and provided the essential support needed to keep these projects going from day one.
The Local Leaders
We believe local knowledge is everything. Our team includes a Tongan business owner who knows how to get things done, and a former preschool supervisor who understands exactly what Tongan children and teachers need to succeed in early education.
The Lifelong Advocate
Finally, there is the heart of the mission. At 24 years old, our youngest founder has been doing this work for nearly 20 years—starting at age seven by handing out sports gear to a local primary school in the Solomon Islands. After a lifetime of hands-on work around the Pacific and seeing how much play matters, she helps drive the vision of The Playworks Initiative Inc.
Above: The youngest founding member starting off her advocacy as a child (located at the international school in Solomon Islands).
Our Goal
By combining international safety certification, local Tongan expertise, and a lifetime of passion, we have the perfect team to make sure every child in Tonga has the right to play.
Our Core Values
Our Core Values
Integrity of Standards: We refuse to compromise on child safety. Our commitment to international standards (like NZS/AS) ensures that every play space we initiate is built to protect the physical well-being of the next generation. We don't just build to build; we build to endure.
Inclusivity: We believe that play is a universal right, not a privilege. Our designs are intentionally crafted to remove barriers— whether physical, social, or economic —ensuring that children of various abilities can play and grow together.
Active Stewardship: We don't just manage resources; we mobilize them. As a registered NGO, we hold ourselves to the highest level of transparency and efficiency. We are the mechanism that turns community support and international partnerships into physical reality, ensuring every resource is strategically used to initiate a more playful Tonga.
Official Governance & Registration
Official Governance & Registration
The Playworks Initiative Inc. is a formally registered Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) within the Kingdom of Tonga. We operate under a strict Constitutional mandate to uphold and implement the rights of the child as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 31).
Registered Entity: The Playworks Initiative Inc.
Status: Active / Registered NGO (Tonga)
Primary Objective: Advocacy, Procurement, and Implementation of Inclusive Play Infrastructure.
Headquarters: Veitongo, Tongatapu.
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