Founder’s Bio
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Our products are the creation of Filipino-American pediatric nurse. Upon retiring from her nursing career, she returned to her homeland; a tiny island called Maripipi, in the Philippines. What she saw were a once proud people inflicted with a staggering level of poverty. Living amidst a corrupt government, these people have seen the deterioration of the health and educational systems, have watched the opportunity for work whittle away and, in the end, lost all hope of breaking free of these oppressive circumstances.
She had a vision. She remembered, as a pediatric nurse, she made cloth dolls in her spare time for her young patients. These dolls brought joy to those who received them. She thought, i will teach my people how to sew and this trade will give them hope of work. So she started an organization to teach people how to sew. There was a catch to joining her organization: in order to remain a member, you must attend regular meetings / classes where people are taught to read, taught the importance of good health (including early morning aerobics by the sea) and other important values in order to improve self-esteem.
Soon, her house was converted into a workshop and classes were formed that covered all facets of doll making including embroidery, sewing, stitching, dress design, and how to assemble the dolls. More and more members joined as time went on. Soon she had a cavalry of dolls and needed an outlet to sell them. So she made the long trip from that small island with the hopes of selling her dolls to American children to enjoy and, in turn, returning hope and pride back to her small island.
When you purchase our products, a portion of the proceeds will be returned to the Philippines to help support the educational efforts Maripipi Crafters. We are truly proud of our product and hope you will purchase one to enjoy for yourself.
Thank you.
