Representing All Canadian Kids, with Andile Nyasha Pfupa
Thursday, November 28th, 2024
Andile Pfupa, creator of Bee You Kids.
Andile Nyasha Pfupa has a simple goal. She wants to make it easier to find toys that represent Canadian children in all their diversity. Her business, Bee You Kids, brings toys and dolls from around the world to reflect children of many ethnicities and abilities.
Andile credits her experience and instructors at Northwestern Polytechnic (NWP) with giving her the education and knowledge to build her business. A few years ago, she completed her Early Learning and Child Care certificate on campus and is earning her diploma through distance learning. She appreciates the flexibility of distance delivery and the emphasis on hands-on learning during her time in Grande Prairie.
She also appreciates the high standards set by NWP's early childhood program and is an unmistakable champion for this rewarding career pathway. "It's the best early childhood education in Canada," she adds, saying that she believes both the program and the industry deserve more respect. The first five years of life are critical to a child's development, so working in early learning means having a powerful impact on children, their families and their communities. Andile speaks highly of her NWP instructors, saying warmly, "they love the art of caring for kids."
The inspiration for Bee You Kids began when Andile struggled to find a Black baby doll for her niece. It made her realize that it could be difficult and expensive for people of colour to find dolls and toys resembling them. This spark led to the company's creation in 2021, first stocking Black dolls (and a red-headed doll - also hard to find in stores.) The store now sells Asian, Filipino, Hispanic, and Black dolls, as well as others with glasses, hearing aids, and Down syndrome features. "I'd love to broaden my representation to include more options like birthmarks and cleft lips," she says.
As the Bee You Kids website explains, all children deserve toys that give them a sense of dignity and respect; seeing their identities reflected in their toys shapes how they view themselves and their value in the world. In addition to dolls, shoppers can also find a variety of toys, books, clothing and more on the site beeyoukids.ca, as well as in stores in Calgary and Yellowknife.
Andile considers early childhood education her calling in life and wants to emphasize the value of post-secondary studies. Andile came to Canada in her early teens from Zimbabwe, where she says there is less of a priority on education for women. By building a business rooted in her study of child development, she is confident that her products serve a purpose and fill a market gap.
Andile currently makes her home in Yellowknife, working as an educational assistant while balancing her business and her NWP studies. She misses Alberta, but enjoys the opportunities to shine that come with life in a smaller city.
It is an understatement to say Andile is busy. While the goal of better representation in the toy aisle is simple, making it happen takes a lot of work. She is motivated by a feeling of responsibility - to have our country's toy stores truly reflect our multicultural population. Andile's vision requires hard work built around an enduring belief in education. For this entrepreneur, success might just be child's play.
