I’ve always believed teachers hold a special place in this world.

As a mom of two teenagers, I’ve attended many parent-teacher conferences over the years, where I’ve had the chance to sit down with my kids’ teachers and hear all the things that happen at school. How well they are performing on assignments, their interactions with other students and areas of improvement. My most favorite teachers were those who I could sense truly knew my kids. Teachers who had a twinkle in their eye as they would share with me a story of my son’s wittiness that made others laugh in class. Or teachers who would light up as they told me how my daughter thrives in her writing assignments.

My kids’ favorite teachers often mirrored my favorite teachers. The teachers who laughed at their witty jokes and took the time to encourage their skills and strengths. And that is because those teachers made them feel seen.

I also live with a teacher. My husband is on the faculty at the university in our town, so I hear regular stories about his students. It is clear to me that he knows his students well. He knows what they need to be successful in a class they may be struggling with and how to prepare them for the career opportunities they are seeking. And based on the amount of hugs, meaningful cards, and often, tears of gratitude, I know they also feel seen.

Teachers hold a special place in this world.

When surveying teachers in Kenya, it is clear they understand the needs of their students. They are quick to report how many of their students come barefoot. They understand the distance their students are walking each day. They can speak about the prevalence of jiggers among their students and within their community.

However, beyond gathering information and data from the teachers, we ask them why they like teaching. And it is then that we see the twinkle in their eyes. Their faces soften. Smiles start to form. And they speak from their hearts, passion overflowing. 

These teachers spoke of their profession as a calling. Teacher Otieno, who has been teaching in the slums of Kibera for two years, told us, "I love teaching because it is a calling—and for you to be a teacher, it must come from you yourself. Though it is tiresome, changing people's lives, like learners, is enjoyable. You are justified with whatever you are doing. You are changing someone's life."

Teachers also see their profession as a long-term investment. Teacher Lydia, a 4th grade teacher who has been teaching in the slums of Kibera for 16 years, said, "I like helping these kids. I normally give them hope, telling them that Kibera is not everything. Kibera is not the end of everything. If you go to school, you learn well, you can change your life, you can change your parents' life."

Teacher Jared, a primary school teacher in Western Kenya, who has been teaching for seven years, follows his students’ journeys. "To me, teaching is a passion, and I like nurturing the young ones—especially their talents—first of all to exploit and identify their talents and nurture them and make sure that they are progressing. Once the child passes through my hands, I make sure that I follow up, to even when they get married. I like to know where they are and what they are doing."

Teacher Adah from Kakamega, Kenya, hopes for even more from her students than her own path. She has been teaching young learners for 16 years and continues to say, "Teaching is my passion. It is still my passion. I like children—dealing with children, guiding and making sure that they have a bright future better than mine."

What’s incredible is the way teachers go above and beyond teaching to help their students succeed. Teacher Alice, from Busia, Kenya, meets her students’ practical needs. "These children live with grandparents, so they come in civilian clothes. They don't have a uniform. So my initiative, out of my own way, from my pocket, I ensure that they can put on maroon shorts, green uniforms. By the week after midterm, at least they have a uniform."

Another teacher from Busia, Teacher Christine, said she finds “leftover shoes from my home, and I take them to the kids.”

The teachers we interact with have a passion for their learners and hold onto hope for their futures. One teacher from a school in Uganda told us, "I had a student whom everyone believed would never make it in academics. I sat with this student, did career guidance and she became the overall best student in the entire region."

Teacher Winnie, a 3rd grade teacher who has been teaching in the slums of Kibera for 14 years, had a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face when she shared her favorite part of teaching: "What I like mostly is when these learners come inside the class, the first thing they tell you is, 'You are so much welcoming.' I feel it. That love goes to those learners."

These teachers ensure their students feel seen, just like the best teachers do everywhere. As we distribute The Shoe That Grows to schools in Kenya, the shoes are making a big impact on these kids’ lives. But the shoes are also making an impact on teachers’ lives. Teachers are supported, encouraged to keep fulfilling their passions and their jobs are made easier. And teachers deserve that!

Because teachers hold a special place in this world. 

May 2026 Impact Dashboard