Documentary to follow Princess Sofia and Project Playground

An upcoming documentary will look at Project Playground, a charitable organisation founded by Princess Sofia of Sweden.

“We followed Princess Sofia’s work on-site in both South Africa and Sweden where we got to meet some of the children who visit Project Playground and got to take part in their everyday life,” said documentary host Renée Nyberg to Swedish newspaper Expressen.

Project Playground was founded by Princess Sofia—then Sofia Hellqvist—and her friend Frida Vesterberg in 2010. According to the charity’s official website, the two created Project Playground because they “felt there was a need to focus on the individual’s development in combination with a holistic perspective about the child and his or her unique personal needs, in order to create a sustainable and long-term change at both individual and system level.”

Project Playground works in “established in areas that are systematically socially and economically deprived and in a society with an absent support system,” the website continues, noting that the children who are served by the charity have grown up under the legacy of Apartheid. “Many of our children come from broken and abusive families, where they are victims of neglect, various types of abuse, malnutrition and lack positive role models,” the website adds.

“What struck me most about this trip is Sofia and Frida’s personal commitment to the children, that they know every single kid and follow them until they are adults,” Nyberg said.

Princess Sofia continues to be involved in Project Playground while continuing with her royal duties. In addition to her work with the charity, Nyberg notes that she also discussed her life for the programme.

“The Princess and I talked about, among other things, the great contrasts in her life and about prejudices about her background,” Nyberg continued.

The documentary, ‘Princess Sofia – Project Playground,’ will air on TV4 on 4 September.