Media Kit

Media Kit

Because poverty is a problem we can solve together.

Because International's mission is to alleviate poverty by distributing impact products and supporting product-focused entrepreneurs. The Shoe That Grows is our flagship product. Our work with The Shoe fuels our work with entrepreneurs.

About Us

Our founding story

In 2007, our founder Kenton Lee traveled to Nairobi, Kenya after graduating college.

He lived and worked at a small orphanage with some incredible kids. One day, he was walking down a dusty road with all the kids when he noticed a little girl in a white dress walking next to him. As he looked down at her feet, he was shocked to see how small her shoes were. They were so small that she had to cut open the front of her shoes to let her toes stick out. That was the day that Kenton thought:

What if there was a shoe that could adjust and expand its size?
What if there was a shoe that could grow?

And the idea for The Shoe That Grows was born.

Since Because was founded in 2009, more than 450,000 pairs of The Shoe That Grows have been distributed in 100+ countries and it’s being produced in Kenya, bringing jobs to one of the areas where it's distributed most.

Today, Because is using the learnings from The Shoe That Grows to support and train entrepreneurs who have their own innovative products—helping local leaders create local jobs and elevate their communities.

More about The Shoe

More about Entrepreneurship

Our areas of focus

The Shoe That Grows

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.

Impact of The Shoe

Since it was developed, over 450,000 pairs of The Shoe That Grows have been distributed in 100+ countries worldwide.

Made in Kenya

Since 2019, all pairs of The Shoe have been manufactured in Mombasa, Kenya at Umoja Shoe Company. For every 10,000 pairs manufactured, nine people are employed full-time for one year.

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.

Supporting entrepreneurship

The Because Accelerator

The Because Accelerator is a 16-week virtual training program designed to help early- to middle-stage entrepreneurs increase revenue and create jobs in communities impacted by poverty.

Program components

The program is best suited for enterprises that are impact-focused and product-based, and has four primary components: training, coaching, networking and funding.