UTHANDO PROJECT DOLL AUCTION

LINK TO DOWNLOAD FLIER OF THE ART DOLL AUCTION.

It will help the project enormously if you will download, copy or print this flier and send it, post it, put it up for folk to see.

Use it as an invitation.

Link to Website is

http://www.uthandoproject.org/docs/doll-auction-flier.pdf

UTHANDO PROJECT Western Australian Newsletter
August 28th 2007

Dear dollmakers,
                             UTHANDO PROJECT DOLL AUCTION
                    SUNDAY, SEPT 23RD 2 – 5, UNDERCROFT, UWA

Our Doll Auction day is getting close, so you are invited to do whatever you can to make it a riproaring success. The idea is to raise funds by showing the public how handmade dolls can be enormously creative, both for the maker and the player. Through an exciting exhibition, people will absorb and share this creativity. In our case, we want everyone to gain an understanding of the lives of the KwaZulu-Natal children whose lives are severely shaped by the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Our Uthando dolls and the contacts they make, are making a difference there.
Our guiding principle is that children can express themselves more openly through play. Where children’s lives are tougher, often when parents have died or are absent, then the “doll’s work” is to bring closer the child and his or her carer.

This auction, sale and exhibition of dolls is our major event of the year to raise funds for the training of the carers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The focus will be on experiencing the vital nature of expressive play and incorporating that into the curriculum of TREE (Training and Resources in Early Education).
As we make the dolls for these children all of us think about the hands that will eventually hold them.
It is also good for Australian children to be in touch with the lives of African children by having an Uthando doll of their own.
This means we need many Uthando style dolls to actually sell on the day at $20 each, (separately from the dolls up for auction). Our target is $4000 from the sale of these dolls, ie 200 dolls.
We need another 100 to sell. If you are able to make some more it would be marvellous. In fact we have lots of dolls clothes and accessories ready, so more naked dolls would be appreciated if you don’t want to make the clothes. This is a hard call, as most of us lurve making the clothes. Whatever suits you is fine.
Delivery is to 2 Healey Pl, Gooseberry Hill. Phone 9293 2363 if you need “doll pick up”.
Or they could be brought to the Dolls for Sale table on the day.
Please note that dolls for auction need to be delivered by Friday 14th Sept.

Our overall target for the Auction Day is $15,000 - $20,000 so you can feel the seriousness and scale of the money needed in KwaZulu-Natal.

WHAT CAN EACH ONE OF US DO?
• Please invite family and friends to come. We are a network of people wanting to make children’s lives happier. There will be articles in newspapers, etc, but it really does depend on all of us bringing people from our own network who will financially support Uthando Project.
• Use the flier as an invitation and a poster.
• Have the info in the flier included in other network’s September newsletter.
Doors open 2pm and auction starts 2.30 sharp.
Simon McGrath is our auctioneer who did a sterling job last year.
Entry is free; donation preferred; refreshments for sale and credit card facilities available.

• Provide Uthando style dolls for sale and for sponsorship. Sponsorship is $10 for the chosen doll with label to write a brief message to the child in KZN.

• Pass this information to any schools you may know. By seeing the School’s Exhibition of dolls from primary and secondary schools at this event, other schools may be inspired to follow suit, and to have the confidence and purpose to make the dolls.

• Donate any “African items” for the sale table, eg carvings, jewellery.
Contact Irene 92932694

• Offer to help on the day. Contact Georgia 9293 2363

LATEST NEWS;
Our recent shipment of 2500 dolls is at the docks in Durban, virtually being delivered to TREE as we read. Thank you to every dollmaker who helped make up 30 really full boxes.

Through a safari company, Compass Odyssey, seven of their adventurers from Australia have carried 290 dolls to South Africa. These will be distributed though crèches near St Lucia, a water wilderness area on the coast of KZN. Kate Hassall, originally from WA, is committed to the Uthando Project and sees it as a way of their company supporting the children.

Please ask anyone travelling to South Africa if they would be able to carry dolls with them.
It makes a huge financial difference to have them delivered free.

Our website is working well. www.uthandoproject.org
Welcome to all new subscribers. May you get enormous pleasure from making the dolls for the Zulu children.

We look forward to seeing many, many dollmakers and friends on September 23rd.

Love from Georgia Efford and the ever expanding Uthando team.