Our Development Partners
Each character is developed with partners from the country and culture the doll represents.
This ensures authentic experiences and details in each story. Our stories welcome children into new worlds where they learn about others, cultivating acceptance. Diverse representation of cultures allows for kids to see themselves in our dolls and books, which nurtures feelings of belonging.
As part of our development process, we work closely with partners from each country to bring the characters to life, creating authentic, kid-friendly stories about their cultures and communities.
India
Richa Prasant & Teachers
at the Sunaayy Foundation
Richa Prasant is the Founder of the Sunaayy Foundation in New Delhi, India. “As a privileged middle class Indian, in my own journey to find purpose in life - beyond armchair philanthropy, I wanted to focus on providing the basics of learning and nourishment in a safe place for the out of school children. Charity should start at home but it should not stop there”, she said.
As Sunaayy has expanded, Richa has also begun to understand the importance of women led growth and empowerment. This is critical because a strong body of evidence, particularly from developing countries like India, shows that having strong female role models in the teaching staff and in educational management roles, as they do in Sunaayy, is positively associated with education outcomes, especially girls’ educational achievements.
“To partner with For Purpose Kids has been a new experience for many of our teachers and to share their culture with the world has brought a newfound sense of confidence and pride in who they are.”
Kenya
Nyambura Wahu
Nyambura Wahu was born into the impoverished neighborhood of Kawangware, Kenya. She remembers living for the day that she would be able to leave behind the squalor that surrounded. Daydreaming of a better life became a hobby…one she was determined to make a reality. By creating beautiful pieces of jewelry, she was able to save enough money to leave Kawangware behind and move to Lamu in 2012. She opened the African Corner Retail Shop in Shela Village, where she sells jewelry and art from all over the African Continent.
China
Selina Yu
An educator, a mother, and a person who loves to travel around the world.