Dollie member Laure Weber is a long time Dollie Ambassador, as she works with Doctors without Borders and travels yearly to far away places where there are children in great need of the most basics of comfort and care. This summer Laure went to Bangladesh to counsel Rohingya refugee families who have fled violence and persecution in Myanmar, and live in the makeshift refugee camps just over the border. It is estimated that over 50% of the refugees in these camps are women and children.
Laure could only travel with a small carry on (even though she would be there for several weeks!) but found room to pack twelve Dollies and Teddy Bears.
Here is Laure’s story:
“Receiving a Dollie or Teddy is truly a family affair in Moynagorna, Jambtoli and Hakiparam refugee camps. I worked in three sub camps of the greater Kutapalong Refugee Camp where approximately 1 million Rohingya refugees have settled after fleeing Myanmar.
Fifteen women and men of my Rohingya staff had children which they wanted Dollies or Teddy Bears for. Even the staff who didn’t have children of their own wanted the Dollies or Teddy for their nephews, nieces or younger siblings.
So, in a spirit of fairness, we drew numbers for the twelve Dollies and Teddys I brought with me from the Dollie table. There was a lot of screaming, yelling and laughter as people “won” a Dollie or Teddy for their child or sibling.
The drawing was fun but then, for me, came the truly wonderful experience.
When it came time to deliver the Dollies and Teddy Bear, I was invited into their “homes”. I was truly humbled by this experience. As you can imagine, the living conditions of the refugees are horrible, tarp “homes” with dirt floors. Yet, in each “home” I was welcomed with tea, biscuits, eggs, noodles and soda.
This from people that have so little yet are so loving, gentle, kind and generous.
The children loved the Dollies and Teddy Bears (each wrapped in a crocheted blanket!), as you can see from the pictures.”
