More than 15,000 children now wear a jersey with a discreet QR code, turning every match into a potential lifeline. In France, 1 in 10 children is a victim of violence. And yet, 70% never speak about it. Because they don’t know who to turn to or because they are afraid to break the silence. For L’Enfant Bleu, reaching these children can be a matter of life or death.
Havas Play has made L’Enfant Bleu, a leading association in the fight against violence against children instantly accessible through children’s sports jerseys.
Under each jersey number, a discreet QR code has been added. By scanning it, the child is immediately directed to L’Enfant Bleu’s website, where they can report an emergency, ask for help, or speak to a professional.
Thanks to amateur sports association, Act for Sport, and eight major partner brands – (Allianz, Bigard, BigMat, Generali, Homair, Leetchi, Optical Center, Sika) – more than 15,000 jerseys have already been distributed across 1,500 football, basketball, rugby and handball clubs throughout France. These jerseys will remain on the field for at least 3 seasons, providing thousands of children with a recurring safety channel every week.
The initiative will be supported in the media thanks to SoFoot, Dégaine, and several TikTok creators.
“Children’s safety isn’t limited to a single place: at home, at school, or during extracurricular activities, we must create spaces where they can be heard and protected. With this unprecedented initiative, we can turn every amateur club into a place where prevention becomes real, and where innovation allows us to take concrete action for the safety and well-being of every young person,” explained Laura Morin, managing director of L’Enfant Bleu – Enfance Maltraitée.
“For us, creativity only makes sense when it is rooted in culture. Here, we chose amateur sport because it is one of the few spaces where young people truly feel like themselves. Turning the jersey into a sign of protection is a direct and meaningful way to reach them,” added Fabrice Plazolles, managing director and chief creative officer of Havas Play.
“By accompanying thousands of children on the field every weekend, we realised that our jerseys were powerful and under-used communication supports. That’s how the idea for this initiative came about, which we then proposed to Havas Play for L’Enfant Bleu. A simple band under the numbers now serves the fight against child abuse. If this helps even one single child speak up and be saved, then all our efforts will have been worth it,” commented Guillaume Sarfati, CEO and co-founder of Act for Sport.
