Ragdoll to serve as advocacy tool

CEBU, Philippines - The Alternative Nest and Trading/Training Hub for Indigenous/Ingenious Little Livelihood Seekers (ANTHILL) and Plan International Inc., yesterday afternoon signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize a partnership to promote a program for female advocacy and gender sensitivity using ragdolls.

ANTHILL Fabric Gallery is a creative social and cultural enterprise based in Cebu City while Plan is one of the oldest and largest children’s development organizations in the world.

ANTHILL and its urban community partner Handcrafters of Mary Enterprise (HOME) are partnering with Plan International to make “Because I am a Girl” ragdolls as an advocacy merchandise to augment the message and the impact of the “Because I am a Girl” campaign.

Plan International’s “Because I am a Girl” campaign is a social movement to give girls and women around the world a brighter future.

“Our goal is to empower girls of all ages to acquire the assets, skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in life and the key to this are safe and quality learning environment for girls, both formal and non-formal,” said Program Coordinator of Plan International John Deviva.

Their target is to improve the lives of four million girls through direct program work and forty million girls and boys through programs that reflect sound gender equality practice.

The ragdolls, made from old clothes and scraps, will be used for child representation and child-friendly toys, advocacy engagement, and cultural diversity.

“It will be used for gender education. It is not just a toy but a tool to express and to educate on their rights”, said ANTHILL co-founder Anya Lim.

It will serve as an advocacy merchandise and education material to elevate the communications campaign on gender rights and equality among children.

The amount raised will be used to fund the construction of a Community and Day-Care Center for Homes Community.

The MOU was signed by Country Director of Plan International Carin van der Hor, Anya Lim, and GMA teen star and Plan’s Ambassador for the said campaign Bea Binene.

“I’m very honored and thankful to Plan international for giving me an opportunity to be an ambassador. It’s really an honor kasi gusto ko pong makatulong. Iba po yung saya na dulot sa akin lalo na  kapag nakikita ko yung mga kids na hawak ang dolls natin,” said Binene.

Their activities are ragdoll production, co-branding campaign, distribution to Plan International’s supervised neighborhood play/informal day-care centers and the construction of HOME Community and Day-Care Center.

“Every regular doll you buy comes with a baby doll, but the baby doll will be given to the day-care center to be used as an educational material,” said Lim.  (FREEMAN)