Follow the Dolls

It started on a whim. 

While planning the first few Celebrating Children Workshops, Loom staff Janna Moats and Heather Wood were discussing their desire to have children in the classroom. Wouldn’t it be great, they thought, if we could keep visually reminding people to acknowledge and celebrate children throughout the week? If we could model what we teach?

On a whim, they picked up two dolls at IKEA that seemed like they would work as substitute “children.” These dolls were culturally appropriate as well as pretty adorable. The “CCW Dolls” were born. 

 

 

Over the past ten years, the CCW Dolls have traveled to Bangladesh, Romania, Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, and several locations here in Oregon. They have been beloved by all and remained a memorable part of the teaching. 

 

 

When we decided to equip CCW Multipliers with their own toolkit this spring, we asked, “Wouldn’t it be amazing to give them their own doll to teach with as well?”

Ten years later, IKEA was no longer making the dolls, but several crafty friends of Loom jumped at the chance to help. Thanks to their hard work and amazing ingenuity, six culturally-appropriate dolls and five doll kits landed in Tanzania this March. Handing them out to teams who would be multiplying this training in the coming year was such a joy!

 

 

And now a new generation begins. We can’t wait to see where these dolls will go in the years to come!