Partnership aims to help women and girls around the world fight inequality and poverty.
Moomin Characters has revealed a new partnership with Oxfam with the aim of empowering women and girls around the world, helping them fight inequality and escape poverty for good.
The partnership centres around The Invisible Child, a short story by Moomin creator Tove Jansson, which will be available to buy from Waterstones, the Moomin Shop Covent Garden and Oxfam shops, with at least £4 from each sale being donated to Oxfam’s women’s projects worldwide.
Published as a standalone title for the first time by independent publisher Sort Of Books, The Invisible Child is about a little girl who turns invisible after being badly treated by the woman supposedly caring for her.
She is given a place to stay at the Moominhouse and, when shown warmth, kindness and respect by the Moomin family, she gradually reappears and regains her place in the world – a right that every woman and girl should have. The story, which was originally published in the collection Tales from Moominvalley, will also be available to buy from Waterstones.com and the Oxfam Online Shop.
A range of other Moomin products using artwork from The Invisible Child will also be sold to raise money for Oxfam, including a tote bag, tea towel and handkerchief.
Macmillan Children’s Books will donate £1 per sale of its Pocket Moomin Colouring Book and Finnish brands Fiskars and Finlayson will contribute a proportion of sales of their Moomin products, too.
Sophia Jansson, niece of Tove Jansson and creative director of Moomin Characters, said: “Tove was a strong and independent woman who lived life the way she wanted to – unlimited by ideas about how a woman should behave or what her role should be – which isn’t too surprising considering where she grew up.
“Finland has always been a leader in women’s rights, and was the first European country to give women the vote in 1906. However, not everyone is this fortunate, and I’m sure that Tove would be very glad that her stories are going to help women all across the world escape poverty and find their voices.”
Sophia visited Rwanda earlier this month with Oxfam to see first-hand the impact of the charity’s work helping to lift women and girls out of poverty.
Among other projects, Sophia visited pineapple co-operatives, where women have seen a vast increase in their income and are now able to send their children to school and pay for healthcare by growing and selling the fruit.
Oxfam’s director of women’s rights and gender justice, Nikki van der Gaag, said: “The values woven into Tove Jansson’s wonderful stories – justice, compassion, kindness – perfectly echo what Oxfam represents and fights for every day.
“We believe that every woman and every girl deserves the right to be visible and have their voice heard, so we’re very proud to partner with Moomin Characters to launch this inspiring Moomins’ tale.”
James Daunt, md of Waterstones, which will sell The Invisible Child, added: “This is bookselling at its very best; putting before readers an inspiring story, in an exceptionally beautiful edition, all at a modest price for the benefit of Oxfam’s important work. Chapeau! to Moomin Characters and everyone involved.”
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