Shire creatives make dolls for impoverished and sometimes traumautised kids in South Africa | St George & Sutherland Shire Chief

Julie Dodds has only one misgiving about making dolls for impoverished and often traumatised children in KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.

“You put so much love into each doll, it’s hard to part with them,” the Lilli Pilli resident said.

Ms Dodds is part of an Australia-wide network of volunteers, who sew and knit for the Uthando (love) Project, which sends about 6000 brown-skin dolls to children in Africa each year.

The charity says “the role of a doll is more than a toy – a doll can become a companion of one’s very own, someone to talk to and cuddle, a silent friend”.

Ms Dodds is putting a call out for people to join a new group she is establishing for the charity in Sydney.

“We are a diverse group of creatives, volunteering with sewing, machine embroidery, digitizing, crochet & knitting,” she said.

“We need as many dolls as we can get for the millions of children in this part of Africa.”

Last month, the group Sew Shire devoted their Charity Day to the Uthando Project and produced several more dolls. Sew Shire is part of Australian Sewing Guild, a national non- profit organisation for people who regard sewing as a creative and rewarding activity.

Ms Dodds taught fashion technology at TAFE in the days when Australia manufactured clothing.

These days, she still sews “all day, every day” and, between other projects, completes about three dolls a week.

Ms Dodds said, while each doll is different, criteria had to be observed.

“They have a sympathetic face, compassionate eyes and a smiling mouth,” she said.

“For some children, this will be the only toy they ever receive and their doll will give them comfort and someone to ‘listen’ to their problems.

“We also make two sets of clothes, a comfort blanket and a bag to go with each doll.”

The Uthando Project resulted from Dr Julie Stone, an infant, child and family psychiatrist from Perth, spending a three month sabbatical in the Hlabisa District of KwaZulu Natal.

Dr Stone was moved by the plight of children, whose lives were severely impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic sweeping South Africa. Many children were orphaned, but play was not seen as a priority by busy carers.

On her return to Australia, Dr Stone began recruiting friends to provide dolls with which the children could play and engage in meaningful communication.

Contact: [email protected] or Instagram – uthandoprojectsydneydollmakers