Africa>Ghana>African Cloth Doll Nativity

This Nativity was designed by Joana Lekia Nelson, a former art teacher in Accra, Ghana. Joana used her design talents to combine traditional costumes and unique African fabrics into her doll Nativity sets. Each set she makes is handmade using local fabrics, paint, wood, cardboard and various other recycled items.

Joana teaches girls seamstress skills in her shop who do not want to attend regular school, so the Nativity dolls were sewn by teenage girls. More than 60 youth have passed through her shop as short- to mid-term employees. Joana’s objective is to provide mentorship for youth, teach them a useful skill, provide an example of positive outlook and hard work, and help them save money to get more education or to open their own craft shop.

The set includes 8 pieces: Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus in a calabash gourd with an attached sheep, a shepherd with attached sheep, an angel with gold cardboard wings and star, and three wise men with gifts. The wise men stand 7 inches tall.

The set comes in a large cloth bag that Joana sewed. Because these sets were shipped in cloth bags, the angel's wings and star may be a little bent. Every set is unique, so some variations in fabric should be expected.

All profits from our sale of Joana’s Nativity sets go to a nonprofit charity called Africa Heartwood Project. Their website is www.africaheartwoodproject.org. This charity will use 100% of donated funds for execution of humanitarian projects in Ghana, including:
• Support of orphaned Liberian refugee children
• Fresh water projects in remote villages
• Expansion of vocational education for deaf students.

$75.