‘Art Dolls in Action’, a campaign that enables you to donate to a Syrian-based charity Hand in Hand, has sprung up thanks to a Greek doll-maker based in Denmark.

Ioanna Tsouka, who lives in Copenhagen, places images of her handcrafted dolls at her etsy store (here) , where she invites donations.

Compelled to act
“We have all seen the dreadful images of dead children drowning off coasts of Turkey and Greece,” Tsouka explained.

“We felt pain, maybe even cried or shared these images on our Facebook timelines. But, is emotion, empathy and grief enough to deal with this situation? This is a question that has been popping up in my head far too often.”

Over the next couple of months, she will be creating a series of dolls specifically for the campaign.

Anyone can visit her store, view the dolls and choose one to donate money to help the Syrian refugees. Tsouka will duly send the funds and all her dolls to Hand in Hand to help families in crisis. Ionna Tsouka plans on recruiting other artists and creators to join the campaign.

Hand in Hand for Syria
Hand in Hand is an aid agency that operates within Syria, allowing it to respond to people’s needs as quickly and effectively as possible. Thanks to its location, a high proportion of Tsouka’s donations will go directly towards helping the Syrians survive in extreme conditions, living under an almost constant threat.

The charity will provide food and clothing, water and sanitation and – perhaps most crucially given the collapse of the country’s infrastructure – crucial medical aid.