Galimoto Zebra

This sweet wire‒wrapped toy from Kenya offers hours of play! When not in use, it's a whimsical decor item. Place it on your child's shelf, on top of a stack of books—it adds height and charm. The aluminum wire is wrapped in recycled fabric, a resourceful use of available materials. Zebra has leg warmers, wrist bands and sweat band that vary in color, making each one unique and ready to go. In Africa, homemade galimotos are "vehicles" of any kind and are made from all sorts of materials: sticks to cornstalks. This creatively crafted galimoto push toy is created from shaped wire wrapped in fabric by artisans of OTICART in Kenya.

Who Made It: In 1995 Claytone Ombasyi, a Christian businessman in Nairobi, Kenya, started OTIC, a privately held export and marketing company. Ombasyi, with professional experience in exporting and marketing, wanted to help local artisans connect with export markets. He operates his business with the utmost integrity and expects the same of others, encouraging artisans to consider their products a reflection of themselves and to use the products to share their vision with customers. OTIC provides export, packaging and quality control support for a number of small workshops in and around Nairobi. Depending on their circumstances, these small groups provide a variety of advantages to their artisans. Some offer training in wood carving, while others provide short–term, no interest loans. Ten Thousand Villages has purchased products from OTIC since 2001.

Materials: Aluminum wire, recycled fabric

Dimensions: 6” x 10”

Handcrafted in Kenya