After a long selection process, we received the news: Watoto Arts has been selected for Everyone’s Business, an accelerator program created by Reach for Change and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, with support from IKEA.
For us, this is an important milestone!
Watoto Arts has been built with a clear vision: that more children should be able to recognize themselves in their toys, while our local production creates pathways to employment and self-sufficiency for women who are far from the labor market.
Through Everyone’s Business, we now gain access to business development, mentoring, networking, and funding to take the next step.
Next steps for Watoto Arts
Our focus moving forward is to develop and scale our Swedish production, reach more children and businesses, and create more job opportunities.
The program gives us the opportunity to work more strategically on issues such as:
- how we can increase our production capacity,
- how we reach more professional clients and retailers,
- how we build long-term partnerships,
- and how our social impact can grow alongside the company.
We view being selected for Everyone’s Business as a strong recognition of the work that the entire team at Watoto Arts has built up.
It also gives us the opportunity to further develop the company together with experienced actors in social entrepreneurship and business development.
A greater ambition
Our ambition is not just to manufacture more dolls.
We want to contribute to a toy market where more children feel represented, develop local Swedish production, and create more pathways into the labor market.
Everyone’s Business will be an important part of that journey.
Read more:
Reach for Change – Everyone’s Business
IKEA Social Entrepreneurship – Watoto Arts