He hopes his initiative will inspire his daughter and other Black children
Patrick wants his daughter to be proud of her heritage (Image: Patrick Adom)
As his daughter grew up, a Kent father realised there was very little that reflected who she was. He wanted her to feel seen and proud of her heritage, and it soon became clear that meaningful representation was missing.
That desire led Patrick Adom to create jigsaw puzzles while including African and Caribbean details into each design. The computer science specialist saw the puzzle market as an opportunity to create more than just toys for his 13-year-old daughter Naima – and for other Black children across the country – giving them a chance to explore and celebrate their roots.
The mission didn’t stop there for his African-inspired creation, Very Puzzled. In a climate where far-right marches and divisive headlines grab attention, the puzzles also encourage broader understanding, highlighting that African and Caribbean communities are an integral part of Britain’s story.
‘I wanted her to see herself reflected’
The 48-year-old, from Dartford, told KentLive: “I started to see there’s not a lot of things that represent her or represent me or showcase where we’re from and who we are. There was a period when she was really into Frozen, and it just kind of got me thinking there’s nothing that really represents her in the same way.
“I wanted her to see herself reflected more and be proud of who she was and where she was from. I thought about lots of different things and jigsaw puzzles really resonated with me because they have so many benefits and so many functions in terms of hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, that sort of thing.
“What I wanted is just for people to spend time with their family. There’s so much negativity going on, the best you can do is just be happy in your home with your family and your loved ones.”
Patrick was born in Ghana and came to the UK with his mum at the age of seven, a few years after she settled here. He said growing up in Ghana helped him benefit from his heritage while being surrounded by “people who look like [him]”.
He added: “With the flags and the far-right marches, I also think it’s important for the white British population to learn about other cultures, because people from the Caribbean and Africa are here as a result of slavery and colonisation.” He found an illustrator whose vibrant, colourful map of Africa immediately resonated with him, and reached out to see if it could be customised for his project.
Starting with just 100 puzzles, he tested the market by working with Black-owned shops in London and promoting the products on social media, quickly generating a buzz among customers. Patrick added: “We got a really great response with the jigsaw puzzles when we first launched.
“I think the Black community was very receptive and very supportive because obviously they’re looking for products like this that really celebrate them. So that went really well and that helped to push us and propel us into the likes of John Lewis, Waterstones, Hamleys and quite a few others.
“I had one person who said she used a puzzle with her grandfather, who was in his 90s, had dementia, and it allowed him to talk and remember his childhood and other memories.” The dad has also developed other products including activity books, and memory games.
He is now looking to launch an app. “We’re a small business but we’ve got big ambitions, big hopes and dreams,” he said.
“I want to support my daughter, give her something that she could be proud of and hopefully, she can learn from what I’m doing to support whatever she wants to do in the future.” Across the country, more parents are creating toys and books designed to help children feel seen.
Among them is Temilola Onabolu, from Maidstone, who set up Amaris and Chaya in 2021. She offers a selection of Black, Brown and diverse dolls.
She previously told KentLive: “Diversifying dolls or diversifying toys is very important because as [children] grow up, they channel their emotions and when they see dolls with different races and different looks, it allows them to realise that actually the world that we live in is diverse, and that you don’t have to change yourself to look like one, you be who you are.” The most recent Centre for Literacy in Primary Education’s Reflecting Realities report, published in November 2025, shows a positive increase in the presence of racially minoritised characters in both fiction and non-fiction.
In fiction, representation rose from 11 per cent in 2023 to 18 per cent in 2024, while in non-fiction it increased from 22 per cent to 27 per cent. However, neither of these gains matches the highest levels recorded in 2022, when representative fiction stood at 24 per cent and non-fiction at 30 per cent.
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