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SOCIAL COMMITMENT: SPORT AND CHILDREN
Project Playground
PROJECT PLAYGROUND FC ONCE AGAIN AT THE GOTHIA CUP
W ith the aim of helping children and young people in the
shanty towns of Cape Town, South Africa to achieve a
better life, HRH Princess Sofia and Frida Vesterberg
founded Project Playground in 2010. Today, Project Playground is
a charitable foundation and a platform consisting of trustworthy
adults who motivate children and young people to have faith in the
future. Providing a safe space for study assistance, preparation for
employment and psychosocial support gives them scope for personal
development. Soccer and other leisure activities are used as tools to
change mindsets, behavior and attitudes.
The Project Playground FC soccer team, from Langa, South Africa,
has for many years made it to the Gothia Cup in Gothenburg – the
world’s largest international youth soccer cup. When selecting players
for the team, talent is not the primary consideration. To be eligible for
the team, students must have a high level of attendance at school and
in Project Playground activities, and they must have improved their
school results during the school year. Each individual is also required to
be an empathetic, inclusive and motivating team player.
Project Playground FC is extremely important to many of the
TRELLEBORGS FF READY FOR DAMALLSVENSKAN IN 2024
F or Trelleborgs FF’s women’s soccer team, 2023 has been a
fantastic year, not least because of their rapid promotion to the
Damallsvenskan women’s soccer league after just one year in
the Elitettan league. After a thrilling final in which Alingsås lost against women’s league,” says Johan Bauer, head of sports for Trelleborgs FF’s
Jitex, it was clear that they’d secured their promotion. Their supporters
celebrated at their Vångavallen ground in November. The men’s team
finished in eighth place in the Superettan league.
Trelleborgs FF and Mellby Gård have a close, long-term partnership,
their joint ambition being for sport to be accessible to all. Sport can be
a positive and powerful force in communities when it engages a lot of
people.
Today, Trelleborgs FF enables an active life for those who want to
try football. Activities for girls at the club continue to thrive, with
the number of active participants growing from 40 in 2016 to 230
today. Mellby Gård’s sponsorship is a strong contributing factor to the
young players. They often come from harsh domestic conditions in
communities with high unemployment, violence and alcohol and drug
abuse. The opportunity to come to Sweden and play soccer is a dream
come true.
“All children are entitled to have faith in the future,” says Lina
Hellqvist, partner and Fundraising Manager at Project Playground.
“Mellby Gård’s contribution to our activities is essential and helps us
to continue our development. It’s heartwarming to see the results
of the work. Victory on the pitch and the experience of the cup is an
unforgettable memory for the kids. It’s inspiring to see how they’re
shaping their future.”
For many years, Mellby Gård has been a proud partner of the
organization and the preventive measures
created to improve the futures of children
and young people.
Lina Hellqvist,
partner and Fundraising Manager
women’s football initiative that has really paid off during the year.
“In just seven years we’ve taken the team to the Damallsvenskan
women’s soccer team. “This is a great achievement and proof that the
right recruitments have been made. The initiative would not have been
possible without Mellby Gård, which chooses to support the club year
after year.”
Johan Bauer,
Sports Director
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