The entrepreneur who makes rag dolls to rescue a Costa Rican tradition | The financial

Have you ever owned a rag doll and it brings back fond memories of your childhood and family?

The entrepreneur María de los Ángeles Rojas, known as Marielos, seeks to rescue this national tradition with her craft of making these dolls.

“We wanted to remind the children that these were the gifts we got. Our grandparents made them or our moms,” said Rojas.

Her business is called Muñecas de Trapo Mariel and today she not only makes these particular dolls, but also uses the same technique and materials to create all kinds of dolls.

For example, he has been commissioned to make cartoons, sailors and even give life to the Little Prince and his friend the fox, characters from the famous book written by the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry .

READ: A tumor and financial difficulties led her to create a rag doll company

Some of his creations have been used as centerpieces in various celebrations and he ventured into repairing old rag dolls, which he has brought to him.

Some supplies that she uses to outline the dolls are anti-allergic industrial cotton, which according to her does not retain mites, and the wool used to make hair.

The dresses are made by machine, while the dolls are sewn by hand. These have a cost of ¢15,000.

The 42-year-old entrepreneur has many plans, among which are creating lamps made from rag dolls.

READ: Nomellamo: the SME that designs monsters and stuffed animals

Overcoming adversity

In 2008, Rojas learned how to make these toys and began to sell them sporadically.

Since seven years ago tumors were detected in her womb ─which she has not been able to treat due to economic difficulties and because she does not have social security─ she dedicated herself fully to this business.

For her, devising these dolls is an art that she enjoys very much and in which her husband José Luis Calvo and their sons Luis José and Ángel Isaac contribute.

It has become an activity that is enjoyed as a family.

“I feel happy. The day goes by quickly making dolls”, she recounted.

Currently, they live in La Garita de Alajuela, where her husband occasionally does maintenance work on a farm.

The entrepreneur hopes that her business will grow to achieve greater financial stability and to be able to treat her health complications.

His advice to other entrepreneurs is that “no disease or problem can tell us that we are useless”.

“Everything is possible, be it in a bed, in a wheelchair, wherever we are or whatever problems we have. Let's fight for dreams and to make other people happy and ourselves, ”she urged.