Over two days last October, two of our team members—along with local partners—distributed a majority of 1128 pairs of The Shoe That Grows that Girl Scouts across the US funded through their cookie rewards in 2025. Thanks to the partnership of councils and the generosity of girls, who choose to use rewards earned through sales of Girl Scout cookies over the course of the year, 1128 more children in Kenya now have shoes to protect their walk to school. 

The October distribution of shoes happened across three schools in two different counties in Kenya. The first school was Kanjuku Primary School, located in Gatundu North Constituency, Kiambu County. This school has a population of 400 children. Twelve-year-old Isaac Njoroge highlighted that his biggest concern about not having shoes is getting jiggers and hurting his leg when walking barefoot. He wants to be a mechanic when he grows up!

The second school was Kitambaasye Primary/Junior Secondary School, located in Matungulu, Machakos County. The school has a population of 356 children, and when the team arrived, they were greeted with so much energy from the excited students! Fifteen-year-old John mentioned that despite his family’s biggest financial challenge being school fees and food, he is optimistic and working towards becoming an architect when he grows up.

The final school was Magana Primary school, tucked away in Gatuanyaga municipality, Kiambu County. According to teacher Madam Muthoni, the school has a population of 562 children, where the majority of the students’ parents are jobless, and the children’s consistent school attendance provides a safety net. School provides a confidence boost, and the students are well taken care of. Fourteen-year-old Blessing shared that her biggest concern is getting jiggers and other diseases. She was so excited as she shared her dream of becoming a lawyer. 

Shoes do so much more than cover feet for students in Kenya. They protect from injury and illness, boost confidence and ensure a higher rate of school attendance—all of which help to break the cycle of poverty. 

We love that Girl Scouts choose to make the world a better place for kids in Kenya with hopes and dreams much like theirs. Thank you for believing in the power of small things and providing such a gift to these students!

To learn more about how your council can partner with Because International, visit this page.