Senegal's local toymakers are experiencing a boom in demand ahead of Christmas, with sellers hoping to win market share with high-quality products that reflect the country’s culture and values.
Mostly Muslim Senegal has a strong tradition in which different religions share and enjoy each other’s holidays. Christmas is an example in the capital Dakar, where the city is lit up with decorations in December and holiday markets draw families seeking gifts in this West African nation.
Awa Gaye, the co-founder of the toy brand Yeewu, was among the sellers at a bustling Christmas market this month. She launched the business after having a daughter and realizing there were few toys that made her feel valued.
"She couldn’t see herself reflected in the toys she played with. So, we decided to create a brand,” Gaye said.
Yeewu dolls are adorned with African hairstyles and clothing, and carry inscriptions in the widely spoken local language Wolof. The idea is still new to some Senegalese parents, who sometimes ask her for white dolls or for writing in French.
Another local producer, Racky Daffé, founder of Senegalese toy brand Alyfa, is known for toys that promote Senegalese culture, like traditional wrestler figurines or dolls that come in a wide range of skin tones, including albino.
Daffé says demand is growing, but there are challenges competing against cheaper, imported products. In Senegal, there are often shortages of raw materials or financing that constrain production.
"The biggest challenge compared with global brands is that we cannot produce at the scale needed to offer these toys at a price affordable for the Senegalese middle class,” said Daffé.
Distributors, who have had rising sales in the past few years, are aware of the constraints.
At Kidz Palace, a toy distributor in Dakar, chief executive Fatimetou Diop, said the toys sell quickly among families that want educational toys that reflect the country's cultural identity.
"The market cannot always be supplied consistently," Diop said. "Sometimes we run out of stock due to raw material shortages or financing issues. Local manufacturers often face these constraints."
Daffé remains optimistic that demand for Senegalese toys will remain strong, and noted that children often point out toys that look like them.
"It’s really about representing an entire community. Every child can see themselves through our toys," she said.
