Understanding the impact of The Shoe That Grows on health
Recent surveys of kids and teachers in Busia County provide insight into the value of The Shoe to protect kids from disease, parasites and injury.
The impact of shoes on confidence and self-esteem
Japheth Opondo is a member of the Because International team who has been managing distributions of The Shoe That Grows in Kenya and East Africa for over ten years. He shares his experience seeing the impact of shoes on kids’ confidence and self-esteem.
One way The Shoe That Grows is making an impact that you may not think about, but I see every day, is in the confidence that shoes give. I have encountered several ways that shoes bring dignity to the kids. Some are noticeable immediately during the distributions, and others take longer and are more gradual.
In September, we had a distribution with a team of donors who were able to come in person to Busia County. We distributed over 2,500 pairs in three days, reaching six schools in the area.
In Okuleu Primary school, immediately after the distribution, I saw three little boys who held each other with confidence and friendship walking together after receiving The Shoe That Grows. I could see in their faces how happy they were, and what captured my attention was that they were all walking arm in arm, each looking down at their individual pairs of shoes, choosing carefully the steps they were making. The pairs they got immediately strengthened their unity and confidence, which they will need as they forge forward together to overcome the many barriers they will face to get their education.
Word had spread, and on our way out, other kids from schools around came out as we drove by, shouting, "Na sisi? na sisi?" This is a Swahili word meaning “what about us?” What about us? Looking at their feet, I saw that they were barefoot and in need of shoes. I felt heartbroken, but when I remembered that we had marked most of the schools within that area, I felt relieved that their turn would come.
A pair of shoes may not seem like a big thing when there are so many needs, but I know personally that they make a huge difference.
Would you like to help empower kids with the confidence and self-esteem they need to stay in school—a key to breaking the cycle of poverty? Give The Shoe That Grows.
- Tags: Distribution Impact
