adopt a doll and save a life

our excursion to grado was not worth our effort this afternoon. we didn't find the christmas market we expected and were freezing out there with +6°C and windy weather. the only highlight was the visit to a pigotta storeshop downtown.

pigotta is an endearing milanese petname for rag doll. each year school children, seniors citizens, service clubs and volunteers get together to hand-make rag dolls representing children around the world. these dolls are then exhibited and sold to raise funds for UNICEF.

each doll represents a “real”child who will benefit from UNICEF’s immunization campaign. the pigottas are “adopted” by the public for approximately $17, the cost of one complete cycle of immunizations against the six deadly childhood diseases (pertussis, childhood tuberculosis, tetanus, polio, measles and diphtheria).

this is agnese, the pigotta chosen by alice:

we decided that we'll adopt a doll every christmas. another xmas tradition of ours ...