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| New 18-inch vinyl dolls, The A Girls, Amani, Arefa, and Ayah! |
Introducing Amani, Arefa and Ayah – The African girls! They are
9-year-old sisters who were born on the s
ame day,
which makes them triplets. Together, the trio call themselves “The A
Girls.” The A Girls may have been born
on the same day, but each one is unique with her own personality and interests:
Amani likes the outdoors, Arefa is a book worm, and Ayah likes fashion. Still,
they love and support each other like only sisters can. Their family motto is:
“We are better together!”
As described by the creator of the dolls,
The A Girls are exceptional vinyl dolls that stand 18 inches tall with
sturdy vinyl limbs and a huggable cloth body.
They can stand on their own. The
dolls represent the diversity of our African girls. As parents, we know that
the dolls we buy often become our child’s
introduction to beauty and self-identity. The A Girls collection depicts
African girls with different skin tones – each one beautiful and vibrant like
the African child – and each features different hairstyles. We believe that the
most important thing to a small child is that her dolly is beautiful just like
her.
Cloth and rag dolls are an undeniable art. The
African Girls collection complements these vintage dolls by bringing in user-friendly,
vinyl products. They match up with the versatile nature of the African child
and depict the different hairstyles that African girls rock without a fuss
about wearing the hair curly or straight.
--Bakani July Johnson
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| Arefa says: Hi, I'm Arefa! My name means "God has Given" in my mama's language. My dream is to be a doctor, just like Mama. I love reading books, meeting new people and writing about our travels together. My family says I am a storyteller. Let's tell some great stories together! Amani says: Hi, I'm Amani (A.K.A. Peace)! Mama and Papa say I am a tough cookie because I love climbing and camping. I just love the outdoors! I also have a passion for cooking and foods from around the world. One day, I am going to be a chef just like my papa. Join me in the adventure! |
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Ayah says: Hi, I'm Ayah! My name means "bright" and I love all things bright and beautiful. My sisters say I am the fashionista of the family because I love making jewelry and playing with glitter. Some day, I want to make sparkly dresses for all the girls of the world. Let's make the world bright together!
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The Dolls’ Back Story
They live in Botswana, a beautiful country in southern
Africa known for its wildlife and diamonds. Their mama is a medical doctor who
works for a humanitarian organization and travels all over Africa helping
people. Their papa, who comes from Kenya, is a professional chef who
specializes in traditional foods from around the continent.
The girls were born in Gaborone, the capital city
of Botswana, but they have seen so much! Their family takes amazing journeys
together, from Cape to Cairo, seeing new places and meeting new people. They
would love to share their adventures with you!
Johnson’s Inspiration for Creating The A Girls
In 2007, I was working in a clinic for children living with HIV. During
a session about personal hygiene with a sweet 9 year
old I found myself talking about cleanliness and hair care using a white dolly.
Oblivious to what’s out there, I went out to buy a black doll to use in my
counselling sessions, but to my surprise I could not find even one. In search,
I came across many beautiful white dolls, but none of them reflected the black
skin tones of the African girls I was counselling. I started to talk to friends
about this “black doll issue” and most agreed that doll makers should be doing
something about it.
Flash-forward to 2010, when I moved to the U.S. and
found black dolls existing in some retail stores. Instead of staying angry at
the gaps that existed in Africa, I decided to do something about it. This was
the beginning. Today, five years later, we are introducing the unique and
beautiful A Girls to the world.
About the Company
The A Girls is a family-owned company that makes and
sells original vinyl dolls designed by Ms. Bakani July Johnson. The girls are
18 inches tall with interchangeable hair, costumes and accessories. The A Girls
collection fuses modern and traditional clothing and gives the versatility of
the African girls of today.
Cost, Shipping, Ordering, Contact:
Price: Dolls are $35 each plus shipping
Shipping by Post (2-3
weeks): 1 doll shipping $29; 2 dolls shipping $33; and 3 dolls shipping $38
Expedited shipping prices (3-4
days): Single doll $48 same as shipping two dolls (they fall in the same weight
category); shipping three dolls $72
Payment method accepted: Paypal
To view more photos of the dolls and their accessories, visit The A Girls on
Facebook and "Like" their page for future updates.
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