Shoe That Grows: Man Invents Shoe To Help Millions Of Poor Children
Impoverished children often have difficulty getting new shoes once they outgrow their old ones – or any shoes at all. But Kenton Lee of Because International aims to provide a solution: a shoe designed to last impoverished children five years! The Shoe That Grows is designed to be expanded as the child‘s feet grow. Using a system of sturdy snaps, the size can be increased with ease. The shoes themselves are quite resilient, too. The sole is made from compressed rubber and the straps are quality leather – easy to clean, and no mechanical parts to break. I imagine that any repairs would be quite easy, too.
Kenton Lee had been looking for a shoe idea like that ever since he saw a shoeless girl attending mass in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2007. His first idea for a growing shoe was a lot more complicated than the present one. The new design has two principal sizes, small (lasts roughly from kindergarten to 4th grade) and large (4th grade to 9th grade). Individual pair would cost $30 to make, but economy of scale means that a 100 pairs would come in at $12 each. 50 pairs can be compressed to fit in suitcase on a plane, easy to transport to where they’re the most needed. More than that, the shoes are delivered in complimentary draw-string bags, which the children can use as school bags (among other things).
The Shoe That Grows does look like a pair of shoes a kid could fall in love with!
More info: theshoethatgrows.org | Facebook | Twitter | vimeo (h/t: instructables)
Got wisdom to pour?
Such a innovative and great idea. Thanks for share this helpful post.
New campaign Wear-a-Pair is to promote The Shoe That Grows.
This another opportunity for raising some more funds to help the mission of Practical Compassion in whole month of April.
Each participant is going to post on social media everyday during the 30 days, they do a small online fundraiser, too.
And I’m one of them from Malaysia.
Could you help to spread the campaign by write the article, share or donate?
Please, Thank you. https://fundraise.theshoethatgrows.org/events/wear-pair/e71813
This is totally awesome and to Just a really awesome solution to one of many problems around the world and to have them manufactured where they will be distributed is even better…God bless you all!
Cool… but I think this will only do more good than harm if produced within Kenya (or wherever the shoes will be distributed) – this helps build the economy and lift people out of poverty, If we just donate the shoes from outside the country then it drives Kenyan shoemakers/repairers out of business and into poverty…making the situation worse in the long run. Please produce the shoes within the recipient countries :)
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Great concept. The most sustainable solution would be actually train people to produce these shoes in African countries by establishing micro-enterprises that can really take this concept to scale. Flying in shoes is not a long term solution in my opinion.
Excellent Idea !
Love seeing innovative solutions for improving human lives simply and sustainably.