Keep her in school

And that smile you planted today? It will still be blooming next term.

When Zainabu returns to school after the holidays, her new shoes won't be new anymore. They'll be scuffed at the toes, dusted with red earth, maybe held together with a little extra care. But they'll still be on her feet. And she'll still walk tall.

While other children arrive with torn soles or bare heels cracked from the cold morning ground, Zainabu will run to meet them. She'll chase a ball at break time without flinching. She'll walk to the borehole after class without wincing. She'll sit in the front row, not hiding her feet under the bench anymore—because her feet are covered. Because she is whole.

Next term, her teacher will notice: she raises her hand more. Her attendance is steady. Her mind is not distracted by pain or shame. That is what a simple pair of shoes does. It removes the invisible weight a child carries every single day.

So yes, next term, long after you've gone back to your world, Zainabu will still be walking in yours. Every step will whisper, "Someone cared." That is not just a smile you planted. That is a future you protected. And next term, it will be clearer than ever.