BLACK LIKE ME

Fashion designer Nondumiso Gogela took matters into her own hands when she couldn't find a plush black doll for her baby. Now, her range of dolls sparks joy in kids. when they see their beauty reflected back at them.

At six months pregnant, Nondumiso awoke with a start at the realisation that she was going to be a mother soon. And the mother of a black girl in a world that is hell-bent on telling women who and what to be. With this gnawing at her mind, she made her way down endless toy aisles looking for something soft, cuddly and beautiful for her daughter to admire and nurture. How could she plant the seed of self-love in this little person if none of the toys looked like her?

Nondumiso chose a plush puppy for her daughter in the end, but her mind kept churning. When she discussed this with friends, they expressed their own frustration at the lack of representation in toy stores. So, Nondumiso took it upon herself to start making the dolls she was looking for.

As a fashion design graduate, Nondumiso put her skills to use and started sketching some patterns for plush brown and black dolls. Two years later, her online store 'Imibongo kaMakhulu' - named after her daughter, Imi - was born. The phrase is isiXhosa for 'Grandmother's gratefulness and praise', and was given to Imi by her paternal grandmother.

Decked out in florals and shweshwe, the 13 different dolls have been joined by mermaids, bunnies, an angel, a mother and baby set, plus two beautiful boy dolls, Sibu and Soli, over the years. Nondumiso has kept her studio at home. and does everything from sourcing fabric to packing orders. Being a 'mompreneur' is no easy task, but the joy it brings to her kiddie customers is what motivates her to change South Africa's toy industry for the better.

'The funny thing is, I don't remember playing with dolls - at all,' laughs Nondumiso. 'When I started this journey, I went to my mother and asked about my first toys. She said of course I did, like all children do,' Nondumiso recalls. 'My younger sister remembers them, but I don't remember any of them'.