Why The Shoe That Grows?
This Shoe The World Day, help pave a path out of poverty for a child in Kenya.
March 15 is Shoe The World Day, a day recognizing the importance of footwear and the millions of people around the world who need shoes—including an estimated 600,000 kids in rural Kenya alone.
Without shoes, kids are exposed to soil-transmitted diseases and parasites, and they are less likely to complete their education. Together, we can give the gift of protection and dignity.
By donating as little as $10 right now, your gift will be doubled, providing not one but two children with pairs of The Shoe That Grows, removing a barrier to school attendance—key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
Give for Shoe The World Day and send The Shoe That Grows to a child in Kenya. Because shoes matter.
Grows five sizes, lasts for years
The Shoe That Grows is a shoe that adjusts in seven places to expand five sizes, protecting a child's feet longer than any other shoe can.
Thoroughly tested
This design has undergone rigorous testing both in the factory in Kenya and in the field to ensure The Shoe That Grows will last.
Patented, award-winning design
2018 recipient of The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Patents for Humanity Award. Featured in publications including The Today Show, Buzzfeed, Smithsonian, Business Insider and more.
Made in Kenya
Job creation is a powerful tool in the fight against poverty. Since 2019, all pairs of The Shoe have been manufactured in Mombasa, Kenya—creating jobs in one of the communities where its distributed most.
By donating as little as $10 right now, you can give a child a pair of shoes—paving the path to their health, dignity and education for years to come. Thanks to a generous matching gift, all donations up to $45,000 will be doubled!
In partnership with Dhamira Moja
All pairs funded by you will be distributed through our partner Dhamira Moja to school-aged kids in Busia County, located in Western Kenya on the Uganda border. Dhamira Moja is dedicated to providing structural and sustainable support and services to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living for all community members, especially women, orphans, youth and marginalized individuals. Since our first partnership distribution in November 2025, we’ve distributed over 34,000 pairs of The Shoe That Grows together.
From Dhamira Moja:
"Shoes equalize and bring up the level of inclusivity.
[With shoes], kids are not prone to diseases or injury, and it helps raise their self-esteem and provides dignity to everyone. Everyone deserves dignity." —Sarah Martha, Executive Director, Dhamira Moja
Protect feet
From parasites and disease
Build confidence
And improve self-esteem
Remove barriers
To help kids attend school
Elevate communities
Through health and education
Learn more about Shoe The World Day.
Frequently Asked Questions
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While at least a million kids in Kenya lack appropriate footwear, one 2017 study of only public school children estimated 600,000 have no shoes at all. Without protection on their feet, they are left vulnerable to soil-transmitted diseases, parasites, and injuries that can lead to infection. Your donation for Shoe The World Day will provide kids in rural Kenya with a pair of expanding shoes, protecting their feet for years as they grow.
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The pairs will be distributed through our partner, Dhamira Moja, in Busia County, Kenya. Through their Dignity in Every Step program, Dhamira Moja works through schools to distribute thousands of pairs of shoes to kids in this region.
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Because International’s story began in Kenya when our founder met a little girl in a white dress who was wearing shoes much too small for her feet. Inspired to create a shoe that could grow with a child, The Shoe That Grows was born. Since then, we’ve continued to work within the country through manufacturing at the Umoja Shoe Company in Mombasa and shoe distributions.
Through one of our local Kenyan partner organizations, Swahiba Networks, we learned of a study estimating that 600,000 kids in rural Kenya have no shoes at all. At least a million don’t have proper footwear. So, given our passion for the community there and our ability to distribute pairs easily from the factory, we decided to continue working within the country that means so much to our mission and founding story. This campaign supports our commitment to distribute one million pairs of The Shoe That Grows in Kenya by 2030.
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100%. For every $10 you donate, you’ll fund one pair of The Shoe That Grows for a child in Kenya and support mission-critical operations of Because International, including distribution, research and development, impact reporting and more.
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Dhamira Moja is a Kenya-based nonprofit we began partnering with in late 2025 to distribute shoes. Dhamira Moja is dedicated to providing structural and sustainable support and services to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living for all community members, especially women, orphans, youth and marginalized individuals. Through their Dignity in Every Step program, Dhamira Moja is distributing thousands of pairs of The Shoe That Grows in schools across Busia County.
