Lucy Ngatia

Bold Question: What if every child's playtime celebrated their heritage and sparked a world of learning?

Pathway to Metis: Lucy Ngatia is the Founder and CEO of AfriToys, a manufacturing-driven social enterprise creating safe, durable, and culturally resonant wooden toys and learning solutions for early learners. Her journey into toy design and local production was sparked by a deep personal experience. While seeking meaningful, educational toys for her own children, she was confronted with a market saturated by low-quality, unsafe plastic alternatives. This gap inspired her to build AfriToys: a homegrown response that fuses play with purpose.

A survey of 70 parents confirmed the need for high-quality, African-themed toys—especially for children aged 0–7, including those with learning difficulties and special needs. Today, Lucy leads the entire lifecycle of toy creation—from concept to craft—designing products that preserve African heritage, ignite imagination, and promote cognitive growth.

AfriToys is also a platform for community empowerment. Lucy envisions a future where women and youth are equipped with carpentry and craftsmanship skills that unlock dignified work and personal growth. As a climate-conscious brand, AfriToys emphasizes sustainability, offering a low-impact alternative to plastic through biodegradable, locally sourced materials.

Through AfriToys, Lucy is not just manufacturing toys—she is curating and preserving Africa’s heritage in tangible form, collecting its stories, symbols, and spirit so that it can be proudly presented to the world.

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