Listen every Wednesday 
Schema interviewsKidsGive Dolls | "Ethnically accurate" and charitable
Wan Ling is an 11-year-old girl who has moved to Shanghai, China, because her dad, a panda expert, has transferred to the Shanghai Zoo. Wang Ling is also an "ethnically accurate" 21" poseable doll by KARITO KIDS, which was recently featured at the 2008 Canadian Toy & Hobby Fair in Toronto.
Designed for ages 6 and up, the Los Angeles-based Karito Kids/KidsGive also sells 5 other "ethnically accurate" dolls, which come with fictional chapter books that tell each girl's story. The other dolls include Lulu Rehema Kibwana from Kenya; Pia Rena Corta from Mexico; Gia Valentina Russo from Italy; and Zoe Nicole Linden from New York City. If you purchase a Karito doll, you can determine a charitable cause to which a percentage of the purchase price will be donated, and then you can follow the progress of the cause.
Even Oprah's gone on to endorse them: "These ethnically accurate dolls, and accompanying chapter books, are designed to give kids an appreciation for different cultures. Every purchase comes with a code that allows kids to go online and direct a portion of the price to one of four children's issues. Eat your heart out, Barbie!" (here)
A cool idea for sure, but wonder if the charitable causes include compensation for the workers who make the "ethnically accurate" dolls? Just asking...
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.schemamag.ca/mt/mt-tb.cgi/615
Comments
Haha. That is so true.
These dolls sorta freak me out. There just a step up from those Bratz dolls to me.
Posted by: Michelle | February 13, 2008 5:00 PM