[DOSSIER 1/2] Games and toys from home: when entrepreneurs play in the big leagues

The toy and games industry has long been dominated by Mattel, an American company known for its famous Mattel Scrabble game and its Barbie and Ken dolls. But for several years now, that hasn’t been the case! The Senegalese are changing the rules of the game by offering items that resemble us.

Marième Pouye grew up playing with Barbie dolls, gifts from her mother. These figurines dressed in pink, with blue eyes and straight hair kept the young woman company for a long time. She had fun styling and dressing them as she wished in the company of her friends. These “Domu toubab” (white dolls) took a special place in the life of the young girl. “I wanted to be like them. But over time, I realized that this was not possible,” says the teacher, going back into her memories. Today, she is past the age of playing with dolls. But the mother of a little girl wants to change the rules of the game. For Marieme Pouye, it is important that her child plays with toys that reflect our reality. “I bought her dinette with small pots and stoves so that she could become more familiar with her culture,” she says.

“Our games are absolutely necessary for their development,” says Awa Seck, designer. The mother of two children introduces her children to wure, a strategy game made up of a long wooden board with 2 rows of 6 holes with small marbles as pawns. A way for her to make this game better known here.

Fatoumata Kane and Awa Diop are also mothers. Through the web and word of mouth, they discovered Alyfa, a Senegalese toy store. Entrepreneur in the field of childhood and mother of a daughter, Awa Diop recognizes that it is important for her daughter to know her culture and where she comes from. “These toys stimulate his creativity, his self-confidence in addition to teaching him his culture,” she says. Fatoumata Kane also agrees. The mother of three children says that it is important for her toddlers to know their country better through puzzles, dolls and maps.

“Superwoman” moms of games and toys

Alyfa toys is the ideal setting to return to childhood. The toy shop located in Cité Biagui on the road to the airport is ideal for awakening the child’s soul of the most skeptical. Right from the start. The array of games arranged on the shelves attracts attention. The visitor is immersed in another universe where innocence and carefreeness combine. On the shelves are carefully arranged children’s books covering the history of Senegal, board games, miniature fast coaches, figurines of wrestlers, ‘ndoumbelane’ puzzles… Three shelves further, that’s the corner “girly” with dolls with afro hairstyles and outfits inspired by African fabrics and African dinette. The other shelves are filled with hair styling heads with combs, scrunchies, etc.

Alyfa Toys has been offering a range of toys from us since 2015 with prices varying between 5,000 FCfa and 25,000 FCfa. “I thought about the idea in 2013 while I was pregnant. I absolutely wanted toys representative of its environment,” said Racky Daffé. This is where Alyfa Toys was born. The entrepreneur began by making figurines of Senegalese wrestlers. “I would really like the child to be able to have a tool where he can see himself and the game is the best way to convey messages,” maintains the mother of two children. The latter works between Senegal and abroad for everything related to manufacturing.

The story of Ndèye Awa Gaye is similar to that of Racky Daffé, with a few differences. “The pink bee brand was born two years after the birth of my daughter. I was inspired by the need to create toys representing diversity for children,” informs Ndèye Awa Gaye.

The entrepreneur explains that this project was also born from her own experience as a mother confronted with the lack of toys reflecting ethnic and cultural diversity. “The toy is much more than just entertainment. It’s a learning tool that can help shape our children’s self-perception and beauty standards,” she maintains. Despite this “merciless fight for diversity”, the entrepreneur faces many challenges. According to him, the biggest difficulty is finding local manufacturers capable of producing toys according to our specifications. The brand offers Wolof/French picture books and black dolls for more diversity.

Dolls, these reflections of identity

The famous “Barbie” doll, which appeared in the 1960s, was a dazzling success and continues to be talked about year after year. The proof, the eponymous film, directed by Greta Gerwing, released in July 2023, broke all records. After just 17 days in theaters, it reached the billion-dollar mark in worldwide box office revenue. Senegal is not there yet. But entrepreneurs have decided to get in the game.

A black child seated at a table faces four dolls. Two of these figurines have brown skin and black hair, while the other two are white with blonde hair. The psychologist then asks the child a series of questions, each aimed at understanding their preferences and perceptions. A majority of them choose white dolls. 67% preferred to play with the white doll, 59% found it “nice”, while only 17% thought the white doll looked bad. Conversely, 59% of children described the brown doll as “ugly”. These are the results of the “doll test” by the couple of black psychologists, Mamie and Kenneth Clark, carried out in 1954 to combat racial prejudice among children. This is enough to make Rokhaya Diop, founder of the Urbidolls brand, click.

“The name is a contraction of ‘Urbi (princess in Egyptian) and dolls (dolls in English). Urbidolls are black and mixed-race dolls with hair of varying textures,” explained Rokhaya Diop. Her dolls have the particularity of having different skin colors, varied hair textures including curls, curls and frizzy hair. They are dressed in a very trendy way, with outfits in wax, bogolan, bazin, etc. A way for the French-based entrepreneur to “bring more diversity to the world of toys”.

A doll dressed in a large yellow boubou with a well-attached ‘moussor’, a doll dressed in wax holding a calabash or carrying her child on her back are, among others, Fabinta Lo’s signature items. The founder of ‘Keurdomusagar’ or the house of African dolls also wants to play her part. A retired Spanish teacher, she became a maker of black African rag dolls. These rag dolls with big eyes are the result of know-how learned in Italy in 2006. Back home, Fabinta Lo creates this universe focused on dolls with themes that refer to Senegalese culture. They are intended for little girls and especially their relationship with their identity. ‘Domu tubab’ (white dolls) or ‘domu sagar’ (rag doll), play your games!

“Ndatte Yalla” or “Aline Sitoe” are the names given to these dolls. They are delivered with explanatory sheets. Prices vary depending on sizes. The large ones measuring one meter can cost 75,000 FCfa. The decorative dolls of almost 50 cm cost 15,000 FCfa and the toys without the wire between 12,500 and 15,000 FCfa. “Our goal is to instill in our children the bravery, the self-sacrifice that we found in these valiant women and also the self-esteem,” said Fabinta Lo while emphasizing the role of parents in this regard. “They have their role to play in children’s identity construction because everything begins at this stage. It is important that children see themselves in these dolls,” she believes.

“I think it all starts when you’re young and the world of toys immediately clicked. Because the lack of diversity is blatant,” regrets Rokhaya Diop in turn. The mother of two says it’s important for black children to identify themselves when reading books, playing games or watching TV. “Representation is of great importance because it shapes our identity and our future,” notes the founder of Urbidolls. The brand created in 2018 is intended for children aged 3 and over. “The beauty of my dolls plays an important role in the development of children’s self-esteem,” she says, a little proudly. The entrepreneur adds that it is essential that children convince themselves that they have the ability to become what they want! Astronaut, doctor, engineer and for that they need to dream.

Urbidolls is “an exclusive mold” and made by the founder. The design of the face, its sculpture and its manufacturing were carried out in Spain. However, the toy brand collaborates with a workshop in Dakar to create the clothes.

“We aim to continue development in Africa, while in Europe, we strive to ensure that our dolls are established in all countries,” aims Rokhaya Diop. A way of showing that the Senegalese also have their role to play in this meeting of giving and receiving.

Waalo, the first board game inspired by our history

Waalo is the very first board game published under the brand “Les jeux du Sénégal”. Designed by Yambaye Marieme Seck, it is an asymmetrical game in which each player has their own mission. The first to complete their mission wins the game! Any move (or almost) is permitted: attack, buy, sell, barter, negotiate, betray, bluff, etc. It is made up of cards, dice and tokens. “Waalo is a board game that revisits slavery and the adventures of the beginnings of the slave trade,” said Yambaye Marieme Seck.

A graduate of the Higher Institute of Interpretation and Translation (ISIT), Yambaye Marieme Seck chose to return to Senegal in 2013 and branch out her translation company, Linguaspirit, of which she is the founder and director. Passionate about children and reading, she founded BD passion Dakar, a children’s library. She also designs “Waalo” which allows us to “revisit our history and our culture and is an excellent way to promote our Senegalese cultural heritage and to make it discovered” through Senegal games. “Les Jeux du Senegal, as its name suggests, publishes 100% Senegalese games. We offer a range of educational, fun and graphic games, a real alternative to games from elsewhere,” said the founder.

By Arame NDIAYE