IE MiM students build western themed playground

In January 2021, Madrid was hit by the worst snow storm of the past 50 years.  Just a week later, with snow still covering the ground, over 200 Master in Management students from IE Business School took on an ambitious Splash Project.  It would have been ambitious even without the snow and icy temperatures.  And it would have been ambitious even without the pandemic.  The students were asked to build a western-themed playground from scratch in just 5 days.  They had no prior building experience and they hadn’t met each other prior to the project.  (The project took place in the first week of their MiM programme.)

Over the course of the Splash Project, the IE students practiced many key elements they will be covering in their year at Business School, from agility and communications to problem solving and sustainability.  So it acted as a super way for them to meet their new peer-group while being immersed in the Management topics to come.

The playground which the IE students built is for the children of Residencia Infantil Las Acacias, a government facility in the heart of Madrid.  Las Acacias provides guardianship for 50 children (aged 3 to 18) who have been abandoned, suffered from family conflict, or are at risk from social exclusion.

The IE Splash Project means that these children can have a safe and fun place to play and develop.  Magdalena Casas (Las Acacias Management) said: “A kid who doesn’t play is a sad kid.  We think this [playground] will help them create their characters and their dreams… and above all they will play and enjoy life… and that’s what it’s all about.”

Here is a short 4-minute video documenting the project’s progress and ultimate success.  Well done to all involved!