Moses is a 13-year-old at Oburikode Primary School in Busia County, Kenya. He aims to be a doctor when he grows up, although the path to get there often seems unattainable. His family struggles with providing their basic needs, like food and clothing. A simple pair of shoes is not something his family can afford, creating an even larger gap between Moses and the education he needs to achieve his goals. 

Every day he walks several kilometers to arrive at school. He worries about “being infected by jiggers,” a common fear among his classmates. Walking barefoot for several kilometers just to reach their school increases the risk of injury or parasitic diseases. 

Jiggers—present throughout Kenya—is an infestation of sand fleas, typically in the feet, that can easily become infected, painful, and debilitating. In urban areas, poor housing and close quarters can lead to a higher rate of jiggers. In rural communities, the long walks to school barefoot, combined with poor infrastructure, lead to even higher rates of jiggers. 

Busia County, located in a very rural part of western Kenya, has been identified as one of the counties with the highest rates of jiggers, especially among school children. As we’ve focused our efforts on providing thousands of pairs of The Shoe That Grows for school children there, we’ve talked to hundreds of students who understand the concern of walking to school barefoot. 

• 78% of students have gotten a foot injury walking barefoot in the last 6 months
• 85% of students know someone who has recently had jiggers or other infections

Teachers back this information up with their knowledge of their schools and communities. 

• 98% of teachers know someone affected by jiggers or worms
• Nearly 100% of teachers report that encountering students with foot injuries is common

Hookworms is a parasitic worm infection that is transmitted when larvae in contaminated soil penetrate through the skin. The ground becomes contaminated through feces, so students who use the latrine barefoot are at a high risk. Many children expressed this concern, saying they feared “infections when going to use the toilet.” 

Health officials, NGOs, and community leaders have made a concentrated effort over the years to hold campaigns to decrease the prevalence of jiggers and fight against hookworm in Kenya through treatment and educating on preventive measures. Kenya has also led the way in the fight against hookworm in Africa by establishing the National School-Based Deworming Programme (NSBDP) in 2009. Through this program, they reduced hookworm prevalence in Western Kenya by 87% in five years. 

Despite awareness and campaigns for treatment, reinfection is common, reported within weeks after removal unless a behavior change occurs. Studies show that children who consistently wear footwear have a lower risk of both jigger infestation and hookworm infection. Therefore, educating students and families on the importance of wearing shoes is one of the key factors of these anti-jigger and deworming campaigns.

The Shoe That Grows has already proven to be highly impactful in protecting kids’ feet, keeping them healthy, and helping provide access to education. According to early surveys from teachers whose classrooms have already received a pair of The Shoe That Grows, they have already seen a decrease in jiggers. One teacher told us, “Before, most of them didn’t have shoes. There were jiggers before. But now, all of them come with shoes to school and they don’t have jiggers.”

The children in Busia County have many obstacles to overcome to receive a good education. Worrying about jiggers, hookworm or getting injured on their daily walk to school simply because they don’t have an adequate pair of shoes should not be one of those obstacles. Providing a pair of The Shoe That Grows can help Ruth, a 14-year-old, pursue her dream of becoming a cardiologist. Or Timothy, a 15-year-old who already helps tutor his classmates, achieve his goals of becoming a teacher. 

Give pairs of The Shoe That Grows now!