A campaign has been launched on local crowdfunding platform Zaar to support a new social project that could help change the lives of women in need in Malta.

My Cutie Rag Doll aims to empower girls and jobless women by offering them a new skill set and a potential business opportunity that will generate income. Via targeted workshops, the project seeks to employ at least 15 women, who can learn to produce and sell the ‘My Cutie Rag Doll’ from recycled materials.

“There is a need for such a community project since there are many jobless women, especially after the pandemic, and in regions where employment opportunities for this specific target group are limi­ted,” project owner and My Cutie Rag Doll founder Petia Zasheva says.

“While My Cutie Rag Doll will offer women the possibility of an economically independent future through a sustainable business opportunity, it will do the same for me: allowing me to become a successful social entrepreneur and create an internationally recognised hand­made soft toy brand.”

There is a need for such a community project since there are many jobless women, especially after the pandemic

Planned in three stages, the project development includes the creation of the doll, before conducting workshops, producing the dolls and selling the resulting My Cutie Rag Doll products and dolls. Customers may also co-create and finish these unique products themselves, based on pre-made design templates.

The campaign’s €1,000 funding goal is a percentage of the full amount required to complete the initiative. However, these funds are critical to secure two new sewing machines and other workshop equipment, as well as create a website to promote the pro­ducts, with an initial goal to sell the first 1,000 dolls by Christmas 2023.

Should the campaign not achieve its funding goal, all funds received will cover the costs of creating workshops around Christmas and become a donation to domestic violence shelters.

Campaign backers will receive a handmade gift as a token of thanks, according to the amount they donate.

To donate, visit www.zaar.com.mt.

 

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