The Souper Troopers African Worry Dolls are a hit! They give people something to whisper their worries to while supporting 25 people with jobs.
Cape Town, South Africa (17 November 2022) – We heard about the African Worry Doll recently and just had to share it. You whisper your worries to the doll and then place it under your pillow before going to bed. It is loosely based on a Guatemalan legend which sees children sharing their worries before bed. The Souper Troopers adopted the concept and today, the sale of the African Worry Dolls, helps support 25 formerly-homeless people.
Kerry Hoffman started Souper Troopers after she spent a day sharing soup and sandwiches with people living on the street. She realised that many of the people living on the streets were barely treated like humans and offered no dignity or love. She started the organisation to restore dignity to the men and women living on the streets of Cape Town – that was eight years ago!
Souper Troopers works with and advocates for the city’s most marginalised residents – those living on the streets. They operate The Humanity Hub, which provides a comprehensive range of services to help homeless people transform their lives.
“Homeless people who come to us wanting to change are Troopers. Our psycho-social development model (CAST model) addresses the holistic needs of each individual within our ethos of DIGNITY, LOVE & RESPECT, and we are proud to be making a sustainable difference in the lives of so many Troopers. We are a registered NPO, PBO and B-BBEE Level 1 organisation.”
There are a few projects being run by the Troopers and the Humanity Hub, one of which is the African Worry Doll project. It began as a workshop in July and has since blossomed into an income-generating stream for Souper Troopers’ Souper Squad.
The Souper Squad is made up by a select group of 25 homeless people who are participants in a job creation and psychosocial support programme. Their progress over the past ten months since the project’s inception has been extraordinary.
Souper Squad statistics – 25 Troopers
- 22 clean and no longer using the substances they were addicted to
- 20 no longer live on the streets
- 25 have bank accounts and ID documents
- 8 have managed to save for their future
- 25 send money home to their families every month
- 25 have achieved the goals they set for themself
“Loosely based on the handmade miniature dolls which Guatemalan children whisper their worries to before placing under their pillows at night; to be gifted in the morning with the wisdom and courage they need; the team of once homeless Souper Troopers have applied their creativity and camaraderie to creating charming and colourful African dolls out of recycled materials: from fabric scraps to stockings to paper clips.”
The Souper Squad work in two teams, one team makes the bodies and the other, the clothing and hair. They are able to make up to 50 dolls in one day.
“Not only is there a peaceful sentiment behind the African Worry Dolls for those who purchase them, but the creation of these dolls is therapeutic for the makers themselves, many of whom have mental and physical challenges, in addition to their housing insecurity.
Related Stories
The workshop is a tranquil space in The Humanity Hub, a lovely old Woodstock building now occupied by Souper Troopers. The dolls sell for R90, and proceeds benefit Souper Troopers and its programmes and services.”
The dolls are designed to help children going through anxiety. The team shared that they have become a great aid for occupational therapists working with children too. But they are not only a good gift for a child, but these can also probably have great benefits for adults too!
“We are proud of the work our Souper Squad are doing in the creation of the African Worry Dolls, as well as the sustainability of the project, which relies on recycled materials. We would be grateful for any donations of materials, stockings, costume jewellery and we hope to see these uniquely handmade African Worry Dolls in more retail stores too.” – Kerry Hoffman
With the festive season so close, these would make brilliant stocking filler gifts and will come in handy for “Janu-Worry”. You can buy yourself or someone you love, a doll here. If you would like to donate recycled material to towards the making of new dolls, you can reach out to the team via email here.
by 