Over 1.5 billion people suffer from soil transmitted diseases worldwide, mainly children. Without shoes, they get parasites, worms, and other diseases. Since children's feet grow so quickly, they often outgrow donated shoes within a year, leaving them once again exposed. The Shoe That Grows changes that. It expands through five sizes, so lasts for years. For just $12 per pair, the shoe can help a child stay in school.
It is estimated that as many as 600,000 children in Kenya alone do not have shoes. They are especially vulnerable to parasites and injury when they walk to school barefooted. Once injured or sick, they miss school. The problem is even worse in Uganda, where it is estimated that up to a third of the 18 million Ugandan children under the age of sixteen may not be not be in school during a given academic semester due to the inability to afford the required shoes.
The Shoe That Grows expands five sizes and lasts for years, protecting health and access to education for kids impacted by poverty and crisis worldwide. The shoes are made in Mombasa, Kenya, by the nonprofit Because International. TGUP has special pricing from Because International that allows us to buy shoes in bulk for just $12 per pair.
Education is crucial for achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those related to poverty reduction, health, gender equality, and environmental sustainability. Educating girls is particularly impactful, leading to improved health outcomes, reduced rates of child marriage, and increased economic opportunities for both themselves and their families. Providing shoes helps remove one of many barriers to education.
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