Vitiligo is a medical condition in which some skin cells stop producing melanin, thus leading to irregular coloration. It can be especially hard for children with this condition, who may be subject to intrusive questions or comments, if not outright bullying.
João Stanganelli, a 64-year old man from Brazil, understands that because he lives with vitiligo, too. To help kids with it, he crochets dolls that have vitiligo. Stranganelli tells Bored Panda:
“At first my fingers and back hurt a lot, today no more,” João told Bored Panda. I’m not yet retired, I still keep up my old work with food, but much less intensely. At the moment I spend 90% of my time with the dolls. I have many orders.” [...]
João’s first project was a doll for his granddaughter, something for her to always remember him by. So he created a doll with vitiligo patches, and an idea was born.
-via Design You Trust