Dubai: A Dubai high school student is sending handmade dolls to children in conflict areas with the aim of putting a smile on their faces.
British expat Philippa Wareham, 15, a student at the Dubai International Academy started the project two years ago, when she made over 100 dolls out of old clothes, sheets, and blankets, and sent them to children in Iraq through the Rags2Riches Charity group.
“I came up with the idea because I wanted to help children who don’t have much. I feel like every child deserves to have a toy that they feel strongly connected to and carry around with them everywhere,” said Wareham.
Wareham mixed and matched bright-coloured fabric and patterned polka dot material to design the dolls’ outfits, while her mum did the sewing work.
“My mum and I worked together to make the dolls, and it took around four to five months. My aim is to give children, who have lost a lot, some happiness and genuine joy,” said Wareham.
The high school student is currently on her second edition of the project, and aims to make between 200 and 300 dolls this summer. “I love creating things, and making other people happy,” she said.
Rags2Riches
The Rags2Riches charity group, which delivers the dolls to children in need around the world, was started two years ago by Dubai expat Barbara Evans.
After being inspired by a 99-year-old woman on Facebook who made a dress a day and sent it to orphanages in Africa, Evans was motivated to start up her own community charity project. She quickly visited the Satwa neighbourhood to purchase different fabrics and began making clothes for little girls and boys in need.
Soon after the start of ‘Rags2Riches Dubai’, other members of the community began to contribute by donating fabrics, old blankets and sheets. “During this time, I was introduced to a lady who works alongside the ‘For Syria Organisation,’ and to date I have made over 2,000 garments for four- to 16-years-olds,” Evans told Gulf News. She pointed out that almost 20 women around the community, referred to as “sewing bees”, are also helping increase the number of garments every week.
