A town in Spain has undoubtedly changed the lives of children around the world, particularly those who are differently abled, by crafting dolls with Down syndrome.
The town, named Onil, has already been widely known for its doll making expertise for more than a century, but this time, it started creating more types of dolls, including one with Down syndrome.
Last year, it made the headlines across Spain after a local collection of four dolls with Down syndrome won the country’s much-coveted “toy of the year” prize.
The dolls – two boys and two girls of varying skin colours – were crafted by toymaker Miniland.
“We were apprehensive at the beginning. But the reaction surprised us. It was very positive,” the company’s marketing director, Victoria Orruño, told The Guardian.
"Sometimes we overlook it but playing with dolls is a very enriching and formative experience for children. They can see different realities and normalize them,” she added.
These pioneer dolls with Down syndrome were praised by many parents saying their children now feel more included when they play with dolls that look like them.
For one mother, Kelle Hampton, it took years for her to find such a doll. Now, she finally found a doll that matched the beautiful characteristics of her daughter Nella.
“This one was simply a beautiful doll any child would want to play with,” she wrote in her blog.
On Christmas morning in 2018, Hampton gave her daughter one of the dolls from The Doll Factory Europe and described the joy she saw on her daughter’s face.
"It was one small thing we could do to help her feel what we hope she is surrounded with in her entire life — the message that people with Down syndrome are beautiful, capable, and loved. And I knew she felt it holding that doll," she added.