Re-introducing Nahji! She's a Hearts for Hearts girl who comes from Assam, India.
I've had Nahji since 2019, but she was a thrift store rescue so I had nothing at all from her original outfit. Even her little nose stud had been pulled off. Her eyes had gone purple, so I had to replace them too. Looking at my other H4H dolls, one of my favorite things about them are their tiny details, like all the pretty jewelry Nahji wears. Just check out all of that bling.... a pearl headband, blue crystal drop earrings, a necklace, and gold bangle bracelets. All H4H dolls come with some kind of jewelry, but Nahji has the most. I also got her story booklet, and it's a good one.
Nahji is ten years old and is not hopeful about her future. Most girls her age earn a living doing hard labor for little money, like harvesting tea or cleaning houses. Many of them get married very young, like Nahji's mother, who married at age 13, and cannot read or write. So Nahji persuades her mother to let her get an education at the local school. Once Nahji learns to read and write, she reads about ways her family can be self-sufficient. She and her mother and sister start to grow vegetables and they raise Indian runner ducks, who lay eggs that can also be sold. Eventually, Nahji's sister Sutra quits her job cleaning houses in order to help sell vegetables and eggs, and their mother is able to stop harvesting tea leaves. Nahji and Sutra talk to other girls their ages who might feel hopeless, and share what they've learned in their journey to change their lives.
I know I’m a day late on this. I went to a boisterous yet fun Halloween party last night and executive dysfunction got a hold of me today. Here is a selection of my American Girl, Wellie Wisher, and Hearts for Hearts dolls in their Halloween attire.
First photo: Rebecca is in one of her costumes from her costume chest, Ollyssa (TM #25) is in the Skeleton Outfit, Nahji is a mermaid, Willa is Merida from Brave, and Lea is a witch.
Second Photo: Mae (rewigged TM #29) is a genie, Melody is a wizard, Emerson is trying to be Miraculous Ladybug (she couldn’t get the body suit, so she is working out what ever ladybug stuff she can get to so she can pull off some degree of effort), Leeann (TM #23) is in the Spider Witch costume, and Allison is Alice in Wonderland.
Third Photo: Kanani isn’t really dressed as anything, but she did want to wear the Trick or Treat shirt in some way. Z is wearing extras from Rebecca's costume chest, however she is trying to go for more of an early 1920′s look since the 2020′s are quickly approaching. Ivory (Dell) is Elsa from Frozen, even though she was unable to get a wig to wear with this to look more convincing. She still insisted on being Elsa regardless. Jess is dressed as a kid from 50 years in the past, 1969.
After taking these pictures, I noticed the AG dolls used in the third set all have the Jess face mold. I did not intend for it to turn out that way, I didn’t even think about that when posing and grouping the dolls along.
October photo challenge, day 15: Trying something new
Nahji has never been afraid to try something new or take risks. A year ago, her life was very different than it is now.
All of Nahji’s family was working hard labor jobs for very little money. Her mother started picking tea leaves on a plantation at eight years old, and was married at thirteen years old. Her older sister Sutara was cleaning houses starting at a young age as well. Nahji was earning money sewing beads onto saris. But she wanted much more for her life. She didn’t want to pick tea leaves or clean houses for the rest of her life, or get married very young. She wanted find a way to help her family be happy and thriving.
So she begged her mother to let her attend school. That’s where she learned to read and write, and then she went to the library and started reading about ways that she and her family could make money.
Nahji, Sutara, and her mother were able to put a little bit of money towards buying a family of Indian runner ducks. They look very silly, being tall and skinny like a penguin, but they’re easy to raise and they provide eggs for Nahji to sell. They also love to eat bugs, so they’re the perfect guardians in Nahji’s new vegetable garden.
After reading about how to start a garden, she used some more of her money to buy seeds for growing fruits and vegetables to sell at the market! She also sells eggs and a few ducklings to other people that want to raise runner ducks. That brought in enough money for Nahji’s mother and sister to quit their jobs and devote their time to raising plants and ducks instead! They still take in some sewing jobs at home, but that leaves them enough time to work in the garden.
Best of all, Nahji and Sutara are reaching out to help other girls who work at the plantation. They all meet together at the school and learn new skills, talk about their problems, and discuss how to stay strong and healthy. Nahji has spoken to many of the girls about the new things she has been trying in her life, and is helping them learn to trust in themselves and forge a new path towards a different future. She says, “when you believe in yourself, and you are strong in your heart, then you can change the world around you for the better.”
Comparing Wellie Wishers with Hearts for Hearts Dolls
I have so much fun collecting these 14 inch dolls--I’ve got a combined total of five in my doll family, with more to come in the future. I can’t decide which brand I like best, as I think they are more or less equal in quality. But they do have some differences I want to review.
The main difference is their target audience. Wellie Wishers are aimed at very young children, from 3 to 7 years old. Their faces are a little younger-looking, since they represent early elementary school-age girls. Their books and cartoons make this age range very clear, like when one character has the experience of losing her two front teeth. They spend most of their stories learning basic skills regarding friendship, empathy, and sharing with their peers.
Hearts for Hearts Girls are aimed at older children, 8 years old and up. They are meant to represent 10 year old girls, with longer backstories and tougher challenges to tackle in their lives. They discuss the sometimes difficult circumstances that girls around the world (including the USA) grow up in, and how they are doing their part to make those issues a little easier to bear. Their stories aim to teach children how they can change the world, even if they’re only kids.
But even with different backstories and intentions, the dolls themselves are more similar than different. I’ll compare and contrast their physical attributes below the cut.
The most noticeable similarity is their height! Both dolls are 14.5 inches. (Yerin, my Wellie Wisher, looks slightly taller, but that’s only because of the thicker sole and heels on her rain boots). This is a good, playable height: larger than a Barbie, smaller than an American Girl or Our Generation doll.
They’re both made of similar smooth vinyl all over their bodies. Their torsos are vinyl.
They have acrylic inset eyes that do not open and close. Both eye measurements are 16 mm. Their head circumferences are almost identical.
Hearts for Hearts girls have pierced ears and earrings, which would be impractical for a Wellie Wisher’s younger targeted age. (Although ear piercing is available for Wellies, of course, it’s not the default).
They have the same points of articulation: legs, arms, and head. Both can tilt their heads to the side and upward.
Their stringing and joint placement is just a little bit different, though, meaning that Hearts for Hearts dolls can separate their arms and legs. Here Mosi demonstrates a pose that Yerin cannot do.
Their feet are much different sizes. Wellies have feet that are much wider and shorter than Hearts for Hearts. They cannot trade shoes.
Hearts for Hearts have rooted hair that I think might be saran or something like it, while Wellies have wigged Kanekalon hair.
The Wellies’ hair is a bit rougher to the touch, although it feels more realistic; the Hearts for Hearts hair is much smoother and softer, yet has a distinctly synthetic feel.
I would rank them both almost equal quality of dolls. Hearts for Hearts generally run around $35 purchased new (depending on the doll), and Wellies are sold for $60 new.
I think Wellie Wishers make better younger siblings, only because their faces look so young.
To my eyes, Hearts for Hearts look their age. So I like keeping mine as their canon selves, as 10 year olds, although they certainly CAN pull off a younger look and play the part of little siblings (or nephews, as in this photo)!
Meet Nahji! She’s a Hearts for Hearts Girl doll who was a thrift store rescue and is now this week’s restoration project. My sister found her and kindly gifted her to my care. Sometimes inset acrylic doll eyes can turn from brown to purple, and that seems to be what happened to her. That is probably why she was donated. I don’t mind, though. I think they look neat. (She looks a character from Dune, doesn’t she?)
I didn’t get a picture of her before, but she was unclothed, covered in dirt and stains, and her hair was a total disaster. I was able to scrub away the stains, and then I brushed through the tangles in her hair and got her original curls to come back. It’s now soft and shiny and is a beautiful color. She also needed something to wear, and so I threw together this outfit based on her original dress. I gave her some pretty earrings, since she has pierced ears but was missing her jewelry. Her nose jewel is original to her, though, and so is the beautiful mehndi on her right hand. For now, she’ll keep her purple eyes; if I can find a new pair that fit her, I will replace them.
She didn’t come with her book so I’m not familiar with her story, but I know it involves raising ducks! I really like the Hearts for Hearts Girls concept of exploring the lives of girls around the world doing amazing and beautiful things.
