Where It All Started...
South Africa is a country so rich in beauty that it can easily blind a person from the realities of poverty and sickness that occurs all across the country. My mama and I traveled to South Africa in 2007. Our journey took us to beautiful mountains, adventurous safari and wonderful beaches. But behind all the beauty and grandure, South Africa tried to keep the evidence of townships (slums) a secret behind tall concrete walls, hoping passer-bys would not notice. I noticed.
During our trip we learned about a man who was cycling across the country of Africa to benefit an orphanage named HOKISA (Home for Kids In South Africa) , located in a township called Masiphemulele. My mama and I were so inspired by this man's feat that we had a fundraiser to benefit HOKISA when we returned to San Diego. This became an annual event. One day my mama brought home a hand-made doll from a fundraiser she attended. This inspired me. So I created my own doll that represented the strength of African women. Each doll carries a messenger bag housing a personal message from one of the children in HOKISA. Since then, I've made many dolls (too many to count) that have been silent auctioned at different events.
During our trip we learned about a man who was cycling across the country of Africa to benefit an orphanage named HOKISA (Home for Kids In South Africa) , located in a township called Masiphemulele. My mama and I were so inspired by this man's feat that we had a fundraiser to benefit HOKISA when we returned to San Diego. This became an annual event. One day my mama brought home a hand-made doll from a fundraiser she attended. This inspired me. So I created my own doll that represented the strength of African women. Each doll carries a messenger bag housing a personal message from one of the children in HOKISA. Since then, I've made many dolls (too many to count) that have been silent auctioned at different events.