Grassroots’ Playgroups fill a vital gap for children who are far from a formally established ECD Centre / Preschool. Our Playgroups therefore operate in informal settlements, on remote farming areas and in small rural villages. Grassroots maintains over 400 Playgroups throughout the Western Cape. Our support comprises training the playgroup hosts (‘the playgroup leader’) to serve as effective teachers, assisting the playgroup host to prepare a room or a section of her home for the children to play, raising funds for a food stipend to ensure that a balanced meal is available for the children every day and to cover partially the utility bills of the playgroup host. Grassroots also makes available local playgroup mentors to visit the playgroup regularly to support the implementation of a good ECD programme.