Telling historical stories to children has always been easier when once can use another medium than the verbal, children are visual and thus books with virbrant illistrations are the first to come to mind. However one creative company is taking a greater step in just producing high quality “toys”, but ensuring that the cultures and histories of African nations are adequatly represented and that those cultures have a hand in their production.
The making of Ethiopian and Ghanaian (African) dolls to tell the story of female African leaders, while supporting fair trade, is a unquie and key way to ensure historical and regional economic presence. The dolls, which are manufactured by Ethidolls, are produced to be a highend story book dolls wich come with a book and CD mostly marketed to the American consumer market. The first doll, Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, instantly found its self in a promonate position on the shelves of FAO Swartz. For more on the companies concept and mission see the following video on Forbes and hear from Founder Salome Yilma.
When producing Makeda, Queen of Saba and Ethiopia, was it was key to make the sure the doll was at least in part made in Ethiopia to give Ethiopians a voice and an econimic advantage when producing such a key and influential product that would give a voice and presence to their history.
The second doll produced by Ethidolls was, Yaa Asantewaa, Queen Mother of the Asante (modern day Ghana). The dolls not only tell an African story often untold, but they support Fair Trade and give a key voice to historical woman leaders in history. A percentage of profits from the sale of EthiDolls’ products has been designated to be set aside for charitable organizations which enrich the lives of young African-American girls.
