Two Women Have Launched An African Doll Collection In The UK

There has been an increase in the number of African-themed dolls for kids and we couldn’t be happier. Developing a healthy sense of self is key for children, and representation is essential to that development. From 1940, when psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark conducted “The Doll Test” in which black children were asked which of two dolls – one white and one (rare) black – they would play with (the white doll won) to the present day, where people are taking a stand for their kids, it’s been beautiful to see.

South African, Khulile Vilakazi-Ofosu and Zimbabwean, Caroline Hlahla, both based in the UK, have launched the Sibahle (Zulu word for ‘we are beautiful’) collection of beautiful black dolls to represent children of African and Caribbean heritage. The 50cm Sibahle dolls portray African and Caribbean children’s facial and body features and they already sold out. Twice.

When asked why they launched the doll range, Khulile and Caroline said:

“We decided to do this, because we want our children to know they are beautiful the way they are. We hope the dolls’ hair will teach our children how to take care of their own natural hair from a young age and to love the skin that they’re in. Our first doll under the collection is called Nobuhle, Buhle for short which is a Zulu word that means “the one that represents beauty.

Her hair is the most distinguishing feature of this doll. The child gets to experiment with the hair, wash it, care for it as their own hair. Up until recently, the European market attempted to fill the gap for black dolls with western dolls just painted black with hair nothing like the typical African kinky hair.”

The media and society’s confounding worship of the white standards of beauty and white dolls have not stopped, they continue to have an effect on black children’s self-esteem. And because of the relative absence of dolls with ‘kinky Afro hair’ in toy shops, doll lines that encourage (Black) children to see themselves as perfect can never be too many.