Behind the famous stuffed dolls of the character “Dr. Simi”, which Mexican fans have “delivered” in concerts to artists such as Rosalia, Coldplay, Iron Maiden Y The Northern Tigersthere is a history of inclusion in the central state of Puebla, where about 400 people with disabilities manufacture them.
The story began in 2021, when a fan of the Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora, at a rock festival in Mexico City, threw one of these stuffed animals with legends written on the doll’s gown.
Then came a second pitch in Toronto aimed at Lady Gaga; but this “gift” gained more momentum in Mexico in recent months with the Spanish singer Rosalía, who in her concerts at the National Auditorium received about 20 dolls. Other bands like Coldplay, The Strokes, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand and more recently the Iron Maiden metalheads, also received the stuffed animal.
The dolls are thrown from the stands onto the stage and have been welcomed by musicians and artists, although others have rejected them and returned them to the public.
For October the German rock band will perform Ramstein at the Foro Sol in Mexico City and his fans asked the attendees not to throw the “toy doctor”, because they will be recording a DVD, but the Mexicans assure that the doll will be present.
Who makes the Dr. Simi doll and for what reason?
No one could imagine that this peculiar doll came out of the pharmacy to fame, because it is the image of a pharmaceutical of generic or non-patent drugs with branches throughout Mexico.
It might interest you: Do you have too many, do you lack? Tickets for the Corona Capital 2022 Festival are sold for up to 10,000 pesos
This character is chubby, dressed as a doctor, with big eyes, little hair and a big mustache, and his figure over the years has become famous for having botargas that dance outside each branch to different musical rhythms, this apparently gave the idea of creating small replicas of 30 centimeters dressed in different outfits to offer to their customers.
But these little characters are not just another maquila, since they have been created by people with disabilities for 17 years in the central Mexican state of Pueblain the company CINIA.
This company is dedicated to strengthening the activities of people with disabilities and bringing them into the world of work: 90% of its workforce is made up of people with intellectual, motor, hearing or sensory disabilities.
handmade stuffed animals
It all starts with the cutting of the fabrics for the more than 25 designs that existsince he can be dressed as a traditional doctor, or with Huichol indigenous clothing, astronaut, mariachi, baseball player, soccer player, Viking, peasant, filmmaker, student, chef, among other models that have caused a sensation.
After the fabric cuts, the tasks are distributed among the workers, some sew the shoes, legs and arms and faces by machine.
Precisely the face is the only part that is worked with an embroiderer, while others work the necessary pieces to assemble the dress.
When the doll is “assembled”, it goes to the filling area, where with a recycling material that gives the appearance of cotton they begin to fill the doll.
Where do the profits generated by this stuffed animal go?
The workers agreed that the favorite of the clients is the doctor doll that they make and that in a “classic” way it is dressed in white pants, black shoes, a doctor’s coat and a blue tie.
This figure leaves donations for the CINIA company, since 100% of all profits are destined to continue supporting people with disabilities.
It might interest you: Formula 1 presents its 2023 calendar with a record of 24 races: is Mexico contemplated?
Carmen Méndez, a worker with motor disabilities, shared with Efe that she has been working at the company for 16 years and feels very proud to be a productive person who can help with household expenses.
She said that she uses a sewing machine to join the pieces of the shoes and sometimes the pieces that are put together to create the lab coat.
I thank God for the people who have believed in me, have trusted, I have been working for 16 years, they have treated me very well, I feel comfortable and very happy, I can support myself and help with expenses at home”.
An inclusive job
Meanwhile, Fernando Fernández, a worker with intellectual disabilities, said that he has to work on the doll’s ears, faces and shoes, that is, he “turns” the piece so that the seams are inside and not seen, and so they can go to the detail area and fill.
The three years in the company have made Fernando learn various activities and put them into practice on a daily basis.
For her part, Concepción Hernández, a worker with intellectual disabilities, said very happy that she was “trained to be able to use the sewing machine” and support the production of this doll, because before she only made Mexican flags for national celebrations.
The Marketing and Communications Manager of CINIA in Mexico, Samantha Henriquez told Efe that they accept people with any disability “except laziness”, because they seek to improve their quality of life in social and work environments.
I believe that it is in the attitude of each person to continue making a living that the opportunities show you, here at CINIA, you can see how people with disabilities can face any adversity every day and enjoy their work a lot, their colleagues, and there are many who match us and above all have a working and social life”, he concluded.
The last:
EFE International news agency based in Madrid and present in more than 110 countries.