Creating a sustainable future by empowering children. One by One

What is Project Playground?

In South Africa, the term “township” refers to the, often underdeveloped, areas that from the mid 1920’s were reserved for the non-white people as part of the Apartheid strategy – separating people based on race. Project Playground works exclusively in these areas, with and for the children and youth forced to grow up in the legacy of Apartheid. Our children come from broken families, abusive families, homes without electricity, homes without enough food, homes without adequate shelter.

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We are established in areas that are systematically socially and economically deprived with many of our participants living in poverty; under inadequate living conditions and in a society with an absent support system.

Our children go to schools without proper school books, proper school benches or proper teachers. Sport is often not on the curriculum, and in the rare occasions it happens to be, facilities are often very neglected.

Studies have shown that structured sport- and recreational activities contribute to a positive development of children’s and youth’s increased motivation, concentration and ambition. A combination of these also increases their self-esteem and self-control. Project Playground believes that the way forward is to be preventative rather than reactive and to focus on the individual in everything we do. Decisions and actions should be based on sustainability and motivate to a positive attitude of life and the people around them.

How Project Playground Got Started?

Project Playground is a registered Non Profit Organization, a registered Trust and PBO with an additional section 18A. We proudly hold a SED certificate for your business B-BBEE points.

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Princess Sofia of Sweden, at the time Sofia Hellqvist, and Frida Vesterberg founded Project Playground in 2010.

Sofia and Frida where joined together by the idea of an organization that makes a difference, for real, and that takes into account all aspects of a child’s life, even if not directly in the programs.

They both travelled to several countries in Africa, including South Africa, Ghana and Senegal, where they visited and participated in non-profit work with different organizations and projects. During their travels they noticed and were surprised by the fact that many organizations often lacked focus on the individual as well as a holistic perspective surrounding the child and his or her needs.

They saw that focus was on costs and obstacles instead of on possibilities and potential. They saw a need of supporting vulnerable children throughout various stages of life, not only early childhood or adolescence.

When Sofia and Frida met in 2009, they both wanted to start an organization that put the child first and with a locally based operation tinged with quality over quantity, which led to the founding of Project Playground.

Today Project Playground has offices in Stockholm, Sweden and Langa and Gugulethu, in South Africa. Princess Sofia is Honorable Chair of the board and Frida works as the Director of the South African operations.

Find out more on their official site: Visit it here