THESE DOLLS TURN DIVERSITY AWARENESS INTO CHILD’S PLAY

Many little girls love playing with dolls, but what if the doll doesn’t look like her?

This was the problem that confronted Nondumiso Gogela when she wanted to buy her daughter a doll as a gift. None of the stores she visited had dolls with which her little girl would be able to identify.

Right there the seed was planted for Imibongo kaMakhulu, a home-based business in Cape Town’s southern suburbs that manufactures brown and black rag dolls with ethnic hairstyles.

“I made my daughter’s first doll from leftover fabric I had at home,” Gogela says. “I sent pictures of the doll to friends, and they immediately said they wanted some too.”

Soon afterwards, in March 2019, Gogela, who was working in the fashion industry, founded her company, Imibongo kaMakhulu. It means “grandmother’s gratitude” in isiXhosa.

Recently, Imibongo kaMakhulu was a winner in an entrepreneurship competition run by Afrikaans lifestyle channel VIA (DStv channel 147).

Six small- to medium-sized businesses each won airtime on VIA, as well as advertising space in Media24 magazines and newspapers.

VIA created a 30-second commercial for each winner as part of prizes valued at a whopping R3 million.

Gogela’s company now manufactures a range of rag dolls with soft bodies and clothing.

The dolls’ stylish outfits vary according to the season. In summer, for example, there are dolls in sundresses, shorts and playsuits.

Gogela’s dolls are so popular she can barely keep up with demand. Dolls can be made to order and customised according to a client’s specific preferences. There is also a rag doll for boys, a gender-neutral bunny and mermaids in beautiful blue shweshwe fabric.

Imibongo kaMakhulu dolls make child’s play of creating awareness of diversity in young children.

Order your doll from the website imibongokamakhulu.co.za or click on SHOP and visit one of the listed stockists. ●