"Touching hearts and bringing play to life" - Handmade dolls for the children of KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu Natal (KZN) is home to one quarter of South Africa’s children. Two in every three of them live in poverty and 1.5 million are younger than six. The HIV and AIDS pandemic affects everyone, and the ravages of the pandemic increase the vulnerability of all children. Children need the loving care of at least one adult for optimal growth and development. When one in five children has already lost one or both parents to the AIDS, the care-giving capacity of families is stretched and at times overwhelmed. While nutritious food, clean water, shelter and education are essential for a child’s wellbeing, so is play.
Play enables children to develop physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually in a more robust way. Through play children have the opportunity to experience delight and to unleash their imagination. They may also express their grief and loss, and come to better understand things that trouble or confuse them. One grandmother may have up to a dozen children in her care, and some children live in child-headed households. Tired, grieving and overburdened caregivers sometimes need help to find a place in their day to day lives to support and join in their children’s play.
To support this process, dollmakers around the world, provide handmade dolls, sewn or knitted, for the caregivers to give their children.
Uthando is the isiZulu word for love. To support caregivers and their children in discovering the joys and the richness of play, Uthando Project distributes dolls in KwaZulu-Natal.
Who makes the dolls?
Anyone! This is a grassroots project. Craft groups, individuals, school children, seniors, church groups . . . all want to send something made with their own hands, to show children and families living midst the pandemic that they are not forgotten by the rest of the world.
Could YOU make a doll for a child who has never had one?
If you can sew, knit, or crochet . . . we have the patterns. You can be as creative as you like - all we ask is that your doll be sturdy, cuddly and colourful with brown skin.
For detailed information on how you can get involved, please visit our website:
http://www.uthandoproject.org/
or email georgia1@iinet.net.au
- Category:
- Non-profit organization